Born To Be Wild
by europ92
Summary: Tala has been kept out of La Push for nine long years due to mysterious reasons of her father. Now, she finds herself back at the reservation, completely oblivious to what had been happening while she was gone. *Imprinting Story* Seth/OC -after BD-
1. Just A Little Too Late

**Ok, I've decided to do an imprinting story. I have no idea how this is going to go—especially considering this is set around a year after Breaking Dawn takes place. So, it should be interesting.**

**Enjoy and please review!**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, just Tala..and her dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter One:

It was sleeting when we passed through the little town of Forks. A wonderful beginning to the dreary unknown. I hadn't been here, or La Push specifically, since I was seven---nine long years ago.

My father had refused to set foot back onto the Indian reservation for some bizarre, nameless reason. He always gave me a bunch of crappy lame excuses whenever I'd asked to visit. I gave up begging once I hit high school. It was a lost cause. I had a feeling that he was trying to protect me from the same fate as my mom. She died when I was little due to a wolf mauling. Our family's never been the same since. Dad lost all respect for our tribe's spirit animal and decided to whisk us away to one of the farthest states from Washington.

So you can imagine that he obviously freaked when he got that letter in the mail a week ago. It was a year overdue, stating that one of his childhood friends, Harry Clearwater, had passed away. Apparently, the funeral had been last summer. To my dad's dismay, that was over twelve months ago.

We were back in the land of fear to pay our respects.

"Tala, pay attention to the roads. It's raining cats and dogs out there," my dad moaned, reaching over to grab the steering wheel as if he were trying to stop the car from some imaginary hydroplaning. Did I mention that he let me drive?

"Yes, worry wart," I rolled my eyes in amusement. It was fun freaking him out---I actually had superb driving skills thanks to those long nights in the car with my best friend. "Who are we seeing again?"

"Pititchu! We're going to give our condolences to Sue Clearwater and her kids."

My dad called me 'moon' in our language considering I was practically an insomniac at nights. It was such a stupid nickname, but no matter how much I tried, he wouldn't stop calling me it. The insanity of fathers.

"It's not like we have to, I mean, the funeral _was_last year," I pointed out before cringing in my seat when I caught my father's glare in rearview mirror. His beady, black eyes stared me down until I quickly diverted my attention back to the road.

"Are we seeing Sam or is it just going to be a day trip?" I asked timidly, not wanting to push his buttons too soon.

"A day trip if I can help it. I don't want you caught up in all the stuff down here."

I hadn't seen Sam in what seemed like forever. My dad didn't like to talk about his older brother, Joshua Uley, much---the disgrace our family. Last time I was here, my cousin was eleven or twelve. He must be at least older than twenty by now.

Wow, I'd missed a lot.

Oh, screw it. I could just blame my short temper on hormones. "Dad, seriously, what are you talking about? I mean it's _the _rez for Christ's sake. The worst that goes on down here are random voodoo rituals."

Clearly annoyed, he shook his finger at me as if he were in some corny kid sitcom. "You have no idea, Pititchu. I've heard things."

"You've heard things?" I laughed, practically mocking him. "But you have no idea if any of your 'so called' suspicions are true." I know, I know. So much for keeping quiet and respecting your elders. I couldn't help it though---the expression on his face was priceless.

"Do you want me to drive?" He threatened. Damn, I knew that one was coming. I cursed silently and shut up.

"I'm not sure how old Leah is, but Seth should be around your age," he started after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Swell," I muttered in reply. "I hadn't even heard of these people before last Tuesday." My father looked guilty---finally, an expression I'd wanted to see since the crack of dawn.

"There was no need," he said hesitantly. "Until now."

_Way to sound ominous, Dad_. I groaned in exasperation, accelerating a bit to give him an idea of my mood. It was nine o'clock in the morning and I was definitely not known to be an early bird. This was so _not_ my idea of a road trip.

"Did you at least call them to let them know that we were coming?" I thought to mention, staring at the rain pattering on the window shield in boredom. Red lights were such a drag.

"Umm, I think so." I gave him a 'are you completely dense' look before sighing. "Guess, we'll just surprise them. Nothing goes down better than saying 'Hello, we just came down to say sorry about your loss at who knows what in the morning a year late.'"

"Tala, stop," my dad said firmly, but I was already on a roll.

"…not to mention we haven't seen this family for almost a decade. This will work just fine, Dad. Great plan!" My sarcastic tone did not go unnoticed.

"You do not talk to me like that, young lady. Back in my day, I never talked back to my parents or else I'd…"

I stopped listening after that. If not, I was sure to get grounded due to some smart-ass remark. I probably should start trying to wake myself up soon or else I'd say something rude and give people wrong impressions. I was never a really peachy person until after twelve o'clock, but I guess I would have to make exceptions.

"Are you even listening to me, Tala? Turn left here!" He tried grabbing the wheel again, but I elbowed him back. _He_, the man who got us lost every year when we drove down to San Antonio, was questioning my sense of direction? Now _that _was messed up. I frowned. I hated unfamiliar areas. I had half a mind to turn on the GPS system. Nah. I wasn't that desperate.

It was all so weird because I kept having random flashbacks every few seconds from when I was younger. Then again, La Push _had_ been my home up till first grade. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised.

I began driving down a long winded road into the forest. Never-ending black against green. It was so different from the surroundings back home. Texas wasn't exactly recognized for its rain--more for its unpredictability. I swear, one day it could be a hundred degrees, and the next it would be sleeting. So annoying. The seasons were all messed up. Why did my dad even move us all the way there anyway?

"Tala, watch out!" He cried as I quickly swerved our SUV around a massive gray wolf. I shuddered, what were those things doing out here so early?

"That thing was taller than a horse, and did you see how muscular it was? We have to tell the rangers, those wolves are insane!" My dad complained. I swallowed down a shriek, my frame slightly shaking. Wolves weren't exactly my favorite carnivores, especially not after Mom died. I was even too scared to get near the ones at the zoo. So much for being invincible---they were only one of my many weaknesses.

_Calm down,_ I had to keep repeating to myself. _We'll be back home soon. _Hopefully, that will keep me rational for a few hours.

"Dad, please stop," I snapped, cutting him off from his anti-wolf rant. I almost sighed in relief when I saw the battered 'Welcome to La Push' sign. Turning off at a little road fork, I let my dad direct me to a small one-story house with blue shutters. It just oozed of hospitality.

We climbed out of the car into the pouring rain and my dad ran up to knock. A woman opened the door a crack before slamming it wide open---her hawk-like face was full of surprise. If she had still been a teen, I would bet good money that her sentence would have started with something like 'OMG!' However, since adults _insist _on sucking the fun out of everything, she instead said, "Peter! It's been so long." Snore.

"I know," my father's face indented with a half-crinkled smile. "I'm sorry I didn't call ahead of time. It's been a little bit chaotic ever since Nina died. Please accept my apologies."

She gave a slight head bob, turning her soft, brown eyes to me in a questioning glance.

"This is my daughter, Tala." My dad stated. Wow, what an introduction. I suppose it could have been worse.

"Tala! Of course, I haven't seen you since you were this high," she indicated my height in the air. How typical. I hated when random people said that---it seriously bugged the hell out of me. "You've grown into such a young lady. How old are you now?"

"Sixteen." I wanted to purse my lips and inform her that I had never seen her before in my life. (Well, I guess I did, but like that counted for anything.) Instead, I gave the woman a fake smile, pretending that I remembered her. Thankfully, my acting skills didn't fail me.

"You're Seth's age," Sue Clearwater said, grinning. Who cares? All I wanted to do was go back in the car to the warmth, away from the wet and cold. My hair was now stuck to my skull and my jacket hood had officially filled with water. She must've gotten the hint because the next thing I know, she's motioning us inside apologizing about not letting us in sooner.

I felt like praising the heavens.

My dad practically ran in. I, on the other hand, was a bit more wary about going into a stranger's house, but hey, that's just me. Whatever. If we got murdered, it was his fault. Right as I was about to follow him, I heard a strange whimpering.

I should have just gone inside.

"Be right back! Forgot to lock the car," I hollered, walking back towards our SUV. The door shut before I even finished my sentence. Why how very kind of them. I spun around, standing still as I tried to hear the thing again. It echoed once more from a clearing on the other side of the house. Why was I doing this? I had no clue. I crept up closer, my sneakers squelching with water. The place was deserted. There was nothing, nada, zilch. I groaned. What was I expecting to find? The Loch Ness Monster? I was just about to turn back when I heard a loud howl sound from right behind me.

Shit.

My stomach dropped and my hands began shaking. _Run! _Shaking off my primal instincts, I slowly did a one eighty.

I seriously wish I had just run.

Three gigantic wolves stood exactly five feet away from me---growling. I screeched loudly, my knees buckling from underneath me. _Smack. _I fell flat on my butt into the mud.

This was not going to be a good day.

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**The chapters will get longer as the story goes on. I just want to get a feel for the plot. Please review. I'm really curious to see what you guys think of the first chapter. Criticism is welcome!**

7/25/09: I've edited this chapter (and a lot of the earlier ones) to try and correct some of my awful grammar mistakes. The plot's all the same, so nothing major has changed. I've only added a few more comments here and there while fixing up some of the wording. Hope it is easier to read. For some odd reason, this site likes to unspace my words. Is that happening to anyone else?


	2. Sausage, Batter, Eggs, Oh My!

**Here is the second chapter to my imprinting story. Enjoy and please review! :)**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own SM's characters, just Tala and her dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Two:

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_Shit._

_My stomach dropped and my hands began shaking. Run! Shaking off my primal instincts, I slowly did a one eighty. _

_I seriously wish I had just run._

_Three gigantic wolves stood exactly five feet away from me---growling. I screeched loudly, my knees buckling from underneath me. Smack. I fell flat on my butt into the mud. _

_This was not going to be a good day._

_

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_The wolves began backing up as I tried scrambling to my feet. Tears were running down my face and I was panting like a dog. I freaking _hated_ wolves. The tallest black one nudged the silver wolf in attempts to get it to stop snarling at me. The eyes of the brown wolf almost looked apologetic, but I was probably just dreaming that up.

"Tala! What's wrong?" Sue Clearwater burst through the door and ran towards me. She saw my dilemma and sighed. "Here, come with me. They won't hurt you." The woman reached for my arm in hopes of steadying me.

I stared at her, salt-water filling up my vision. "Hurt me?" I shrilled. "Like they didn't hurt my mom?" I shrugged out of her grasp and sprinted towards the house, leaving Sue behind with those animals. I know, I'm such a martyr.

"Can we please go home, Daddy?" I begged him when he saw me. "Now?"

"Did you just leave Sue with those things?" He barked at me as he looked behind my shoulder. I bit my lip. I would be held responsible if anything happened to her. _Yeah, great thinking, Tala. _He took the empty silence as his answer and darted towards Mrs. Clearwater in hopes of rescuing her.

"It's okay, Peter. That's completely normal around here," she reassured him. I began to wonder what her definition of _normal _was. "Is Tala okay?"

He was still hesitant, but he let her lead him away from the clearing. "Tala hasn't completely gotten over Nina's death yet. She hasn't been near a wolf since she was seven." They were coming closer to me now. I still had not moved from my spot on the front porch.

"I'm sorry," Sue stared into my amber eyes in sympathy. I looked away. I didn't need anyone's sympathy. "Do you both want some hot chocolate? You must have been on the road for hours."

"Thirty five," I said---my voice still shaky. "Dad let me drive part of the way," I added with a smirk. Oh what a wonderful experience _that _had been. My father rolled his eyes, but clasped my shoulder with pride. "Yes, you did. Gave me quite a few scares, but my Tala had it all under control."

If only he had said that earlier. Maybe I wouldn't have tried speeding into that ditch…

Sue beamed. "Seth recently got his license a few months ago, but hasn't really gotten to use it. He prefers running." I caught the double meaning in her words, but quickly doused my interest.

As I just learned, curiosity kills the cat.

"Where are Seth and Leah?" my dad asked politely.

Sue chuckled, "Probably still sleeping. Either that or they might be outside patr---running," she quickly covered herself up. If she thought I didn't hear her stumble she was sadly mistaken.

"Tala would be sleeping till one if she had the chance. Teenagers," Dad shook his head, grinning. Sue nodded in agreement and waved us into the kitchen. The smell of hot chocolate began wafting in the air and my nose perked up. We didn't drink hot chocolate much back at home thanks to the weather. There were only two seasons there: fall and summer.

"So pick up any Texas slang while you were gone?" Sue asked when she and my dad ran out of conversation topics. I snorted in my drink. Dad reprehended me by slapping me on the back so I didn't choke.

"Other than 'y'all', nothing really," I replied. Not many people actually had true Texan accents where I lived. My father concurred, going into some insanely boring story about a salesman who could mimic people. I yawned for effect. Neither of them noticed.

"What brings you back north?" Finally. We could quit stalling and just get to the point. I gave Sue a grateful look before dropping my head to stare at the floor. No way was I going to tell her. My father shifted uncomfortably before answering.

"A week ago, I received a letter for Harry's funeral," He began before getting cut off by Sue Clearwater.

"He died last year." My dad, shocked at her bluntness, had to pause before continuing. "I know. We just got the message and wanted to come out here to give our regrets. If I had known sooner, I would have been out here in a heartbeat. I'm so sorry Sue, he was a great man."

She bit her lip as her eyes watered and gave us both hugs. "And here I was wondering what happened to you both. You disappeared off of the face of the planet after Nina passed away."

My dad hung his head without words while I studied the room. It was a quaint little kitchen, though everything was dwarfed by the huge refrigerator that sat in the center. Sue followed my gaze and laughed.

"We have to stalk up on plenty of food thanks to the boys. They eat twice their body weight." And here I was thinking that puberty was so hard for them. We girls had to bitch through periods while the guys just had a new excuse to eat like pigs. Where is the fairness in that? Honestly. Why do _they_ get it so easy?

"Pititchu, can you let Sue and I talk for a little bit alone?" Fine. I knew when I wasn't wanted. I shrugged and hopped off the chair that I had plopped myself into. It didn't matter what they discussed. I would figure out what they were whispering about sooner or later. I inched towards the door hesitantly. What if the wolves were still out there?

"The wolves should be gone," Sue said in response to my unspoken question. "You can go sit on the swing just in case though." Her kind voice reminded me of my mom. My heart began throbbing as I went outside. Hopefully the walls were thin so I could listen in. I threw myself on the wooden seating and started moving back and forth. In the window, Dad had begun apologizing for not coming here earlier while Sue waved off his guilt. I heard the chairs inside move before the voices began again in a softer tone.

"I didn't come here earlier to visit because of the legends---" Sue tried to hush him but he continued. I could barely make out the words. "…danger….activate them."

What the hell was he talking about?

"She's probably fine. They left months ago---unless the boys have failed to tell me something." Her clear voice rang out before my dad tried silencing her. "Anyway, it's extremely uncommon for her gender."

Great, he was probably asking Sue for female advice. How is the _not_ embarrassing? She should have been there when he tried giving me "the talk." I couldn't look at him straight in the face for a week. There are just some things that are better left unsaid. I peered closer in the window, trying to see if I could get any more information. No such luck. Now they were whispering. Where's that glass cup when you need it?

"Eavesdropping?" a voice smirked. I jumped up, nearly falling out of my seat. A girl with perfect copper skin and glistening black hair towered over me. She did _not _look friendly. I sheepishly smiled before replying, "I'm trying, but so far it's all gibberish."

"Leah," she held out her hand. As I shook it, a look of suspicion came over her face. It went as quickly as it came though, and she tapped her foot impatiently on the ground---waiting.

"Oh, I'm Tala Uley." She grimaced when she heard my last name.

"I've never heard of you before," she said a bit rudely. I shrugged and responded, "You were a mystery to me too before last Tuesday." Her mouth formed a firm line, clearly suspicious. Not a good sign. "We just heard about your loss. I'm sorry."

Leah's eyes softened a degree, and she relaxed. I was surprised. I'd actually been expecting the opposite from this Amazon princess. "It's okay. We're getting used to it. It's the hardest on Mom." What a lie. Her mom may have accepted it, but she certainly hadn't. It was all in her facial expressions.

"My mom died when I was seven," I offered up. Maybe it would help her realize she wasn't the only one who had lost someone. She wasn't the only one who felt pain still every time they thought of their parent's name.

"How?" Did this girl always speak before thinking? I blinked back the urge to cry. The topic always made me emotional. It was the only thing that set me off other than wolves. La Push was certainly not doing me any favors today. Leah suddenly sat down beside me. "You don't have to answer."

"Wolves," I choked. "A wolf mauling." Leah's expression grew grave and almost disturbed as she took my words in. Luckily for her, she didn't have to say anything because my dad burst out the door in anger.

"Come on Pititchu, we're leaving." His face was fierce as he violently motioned me to the car. I wondered what pissed him off. Sue shook her head as she stepped onto the porch.

"Peter, quit being ridiculous. Tala is welcome here if she wants."

"It's too risky. We have to leave, Sue. Immediately." Dad had clearly lost it. Well, more than usual. He was always big on being dramatic (although he denied it every day). I hope she didn't take it personally.

"Nothing will happen, Peter. Please stay for the bonfire at least. We haven't seen you or your daughter in _nine_ years." My dad took a deep breath and gestured me to give him the keys to the SUV. I was still frozen on the swing with Leah, not comprehending at all what he was asking.

"One day is not going to make a difference. Stop worrying," Sue said sternly. What were they even talking about? Leah looked about as clueless as me---a fact that didn't exactly reassure me. This obviously had never happened before.

"Mom," she said warily. Sue noticed her daughter was there and lit up. "Peter, this is Leah, my oldest." It diverted his attention for now, but how long would it last?

"Leah, haven't seen you in ages," he said, trying to create an illusion of a warm smile. I coughed loudly. He shot me a look before going into how he remembered the time when Leah had fallen off some random horse. What a pleasant memory. He needed to interact with people more often. She stood there helplessly. It was obvious she couldn't remember him. Guess I wasn't the only one with memory loss.

"Peter, you haven't talked to your family in forever. They all would want to see you. Just stay." Leah's mom started again after he finished reminiscing.

"Fine. We'll go to the bonfire, but after that, we're leaving." Sue's eyes sparkled with a victory as we all trudged back into her kitchen.

"We need to make breakfast for the boys. Are they done yet, Leah?"

"They'll be done in thirty. I finished early because I heard we had some guests," her daughter replied cautiously. It was like she had something to hide. Great, there was my brain going off again. I needed to quit over thinking everything. Sue's eyes bulged when she heard the time and started rummaging around the kitchen. Leah offered me a cup of coffee before she started up the frying pan. Dad just awkwardly stood there, not knowing what to do.

Sue immediately noticed.

"Peter, go sit down, you must be exhausted. Tala, same with you. The living room is past the entryway to the right." I shook my head---no way was I going to be stuck in a room with Dad after being in a car with him for more than a day.

"Is there any way I can help? I'm pretty good at making breakfast." Actually, I sucked at cooking in general, but I wasn't about to admit that. I would get kicked out if they knew what my poor kitchen back home had gone through. My dad hid a smile and went to the living room. A morning anchor's dull voice suddenly drawled out the weather, and I knew I was covered. He wouldn't say anything.

Sue Clearwater bit her lip in hesitation. If only she knew what she was getting into… "Well, you could do the eggs I suppose." I started for the fridge eagerly.

"You'll need more than that," Leah leered when she saw the dozen egg cartoon in my hands. I glanced at Sue in confusion.

"Remember? The boys eat a lot. We need to cook at least two dozen eggs, maybe three depending on who is coming." Disbelief colored my face---that was enough to feed a small army. Leah smirked and began whipping up batter for home-made pancakes. Christ, these people must have some insanely huge appetites. I was barely lucky enough to find cereal at my house.

"Who all is eating exactly?" Sue pushed back a strand of hair, checking the oven clock.

Leah had to think for a second. "Seth obviously, Jacob if he isn't with Nessie, Embry, Quil, Brady, and Collin. The others are eating at Em's---apparently she just went on a grocery run. We may have one or two of the newbies, but I can't be sure."

Her mother nodded and added another cup of flour. I decided to keep my mouth shut. These guys must be giants if they ate all this food. As I was whisking the eggs, some of the yellow mixture accidentally flew out of the bowl onto Leah's face. I winced. And the curse began…Leah looked like she was going to flip. However, instead of the outburst I was expecting, she threw pancake batter back at me with her spoon. I felt the gooeyness drip down my cheek before it plopped on my clothes. I caught Leah's eye and grinned.

This meant war.

Twenty minutes later the whole kitchen was filled with egg and pancake mix, not to mention a few stray sausages on Sue's behalf. We were all screaming and laughing, trying to avoid the slimy goo flying at us. My dad ignored us, the T.V. getting louder and louder. He knew what _I _was capable of in a kitchen. Imagine if I had cohorts…

It was the most fun I'd had in a long time. Even the stoic Leah was giggling up a storm like a little school girl.

"Oh dear, what a waste of food," Sue sighed in mock exasperation. "I guess the boys will just starve." I looked at my reflection on the fridge and gasped. I was covered head to toe in pancake batter. It was as if something blew up on me.

"There's a sausage tangled up in your hair," I told Leah matter-of-factly. She groaned, grabbed her dark hair, and shook the meat out. Sue somehow got whipped cream on herself and was trying unsuccessfully to clean it out with a towel.

Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling noise in the distance and a couple of wolf howls.

The boys were coming.

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**Told you this chapter would be longer...anyone have an idea of what the two grown-ups have been talking about? Please review! Feedback is loved.**


	3. My Downfall IS Falling

**Sweet! I got 5 reviews for the last two chapters. Thanks everyone! I love hearing feedback. This chapter was fun to write, especially the end…hehe. **

**Enjoy and please review! :)**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own SM's characters, just Tala and her dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Three:

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"_There's a sausage tangled up in your hair," I told Leah matter-of-factly. She groaned, grabbed her dark hair, and shook the meat out. Sue somehow got whipped cream on herself and was trying unsuccessfully to clean it out with a towel._

_Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling noise in the distance and a couple of wolf howls._

_The boys were coming._

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Leah looked down at herself and snorted. "They're going to have a field day with this." Feeling a little self-conscious, I attempted to wring out some egg from my shirt. No such luck. Oh well, it would certainly be one heck of a first impression.

"I hope Emily made extra food," Sue fretted before sprinting to the phone in the hallway, leaving Leah and I alone to defend for ourselves. Brilliant. Should I be more worried? Our only warning of their arrival was the yelp outside. Suddenly, the front door exploded wide open and bodies scrambled into the house. What were they, animals? It was like the _smelled _the food from a mile away.

"What the hell?" A tall russet-skinned man exclaimed as he took a step in the kitchen. He surveyed Leah and me in our breakfast splattered clothes and started cracking up. I had the urge to cover my ears. It seriously sounded more like thunder than actual laughter.

"Jake, why'd you sto---?" A younger boy bumped into the man's back, and jarred to a halt. "What blew up?" He asked stupidly. Three more trooped in and froze in shock.

They _were_ huge.

Each one of them was tall, muscular, and ruggedly handsome. They were also, to my dismay, shirtless. Shit, I would be blubbering like an idiot now. The guys all seemed to be in their twenties, or maybe early thirties. I had to pinch myself to quit staring at their abs and look up. In my defense, that's the only thing I could see since they were all like seven feet---completely dwarfing my 5'6 1/2". What were they? Mountains? Sue needed to quit feeding them---I'm dead serious. The food was obviously doing something to their growth patterns.

"Damn Leah, never knew you had it in you," one really obnoxious guy shouted, rushing to high- five her.

"Quil, shut up," she snapped, her cheeks flaring red. Apparently that was a first because all the boys crowed like immature ten-year-olds. I couldn't help myself and joined in with them. It was literally impossible to ignore them. The mood was contagious. They kept ogling me, then Leah, then me again, completely losing it. Did I say it sounded like thunder? I meant like an atomic bomb. Seriously, I wouldn't have been surprised if the roof caved in at the noise. Leah threw me a towel in annoyance and we began de-battering ourselves. Easier said than done.

"Who," one person choked, "are you?" The corners of my mouth went up.

"Tala U---"

"Where's Seth?" Leah asked, cutting me off on purpose. A little irritated, I turned to give her crap about it until I caught sight of her eyes. They darted me a warning glance and I bit my lip. I'd figure it out later.

"He's finishing up with Ryan. He asked if you could bring a plate or two down to the beach. I think he plans on going swimming," the guy called Jake responded. Her brother was crazy. Swimming? At this time of year? You'd have to be in some kind of special suit for that. I may have been gone for a long time, but one certainly did not forget the weather here.

"At ten in the morning?" Leah raised her eyebrow, a gesture that was evidently her trademark. She didn't seem fazed about the temperature either. What was wrong with these people? He shrugged. Leah caught my confused expression, assuming that I was just wondering who the hell everyone was. "Oh Tala, this is Jacob, Brady, Quil," she put a sneering emphasis when she said the last name, "Embry, and Collin."

"Nice to meet you." I said as pleasantly as I could, reminding myself that I didn't want to appear like a morning grouch. I thought about trying to memorize their names, but decided against it. If I was only going to be here for a day, what was the point? "I would shake your hand but I have all this crap on me." The group all broke into a smirk at the same time---it was almost creepy, as if they were identical quintuplets.

"S'okay. So, no food, ladies?" Collin, I think, piped up. Leah and I both rolled our eyes. Of course that's what they'd think about.

"Actually, Em has some extras at her house," Sue came in with a rag, attempting to wipe herself down. "How about you all go? I'll catch up later with Tala's dad."

"Mom," Leah whined motioning her clothes. Sue grinned. "That's the price you get for ruining the boys' breakfast, girls." Fuming, Leah stalked out of the house and ran in the direction of the forest. I stood there looking like a moron waiting for something to happen. How awkward.

"C'mon Tala, we're going to Emily's. She makes the _best_food!" Quil jumped up all excited and pushed me out the door onto a wide dirt road that I hadn't noticed before. The guys joked around until we arrived to a small white-grayish cottage. A dark face peeped out of the narrow window before throwing open the weathered, blue door.

"Better hurry up before the eggs are finished," a beautiful woman yelled out. She had satiny copper skin and long, black hair that reached down to her waist. One of her dark, almond-shaped eyes watched us with amusement. I held in a gasp when I noticed three extremely red claw marks etched on her skin that ran from her hairline to chin. They went through the corner of her other eye and completely deformed half of her mouth. Horror enveloped me even more as I observed that they extended all the way down her arm to the back of her right hand.

What had happened to her?

A warm hand nudged me forward. I pivoted and found myself face-to-face with a sheepish Embry. Blushing, I made my feet move to the entryway. The woman smiled at me and motioned me instead encouragingly. Whatever unease I had felt left me and I gave her a smile back.

"Believe me, if you don't hurry up there will be nothing left. Unless you've already eaten," she spied my clothes speculatively. I shook my head. I was going to have a fun time explaining my escapade with the Clearwater women.

"I'm Emily," she held out an unscarred hand towards me. I shook it, thankful that my hands were somewhat clean. "Tala," I replied. "Sorry for all this," I touched a piece of my orange t-shirt that was covered with a cakey white.

Her laugh sounded like bells ringing. "You'll have to tell me about that."

"Sam? Come meet Tala," she called out once we reached the living room. Sam? Like my cousin Sam? Or was this a totally different person? I wasn't completely sure as I saw a man even more muscular than Jacob come towards us. He didn't _look _like Sam. Hell, he barely resembled the scrawny kid that I had sometimes played with during the holidays. This dude was a serious body-builder. No joke. He would be able to crush me on the mat in less than a second.

I must've begun to cower or something because Emily put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Sam got an eyeful of my batter soaked appearance before reluctantly striking a grin as big as Embry's---his intimidation cloak disappeared almost immediately. I studied the man and realized it _was _Sam. They both had the same eyes. Freaky.

"Looks like you were busy, Tala. I'm Sam." No shit, Sherlock. I'm your long lost cousin on return. However, I kept my mouth shut. What if I was wrong and he really was just a random stranger with the same first name? Now _that _would a bit embarrassing.

"Guess I do make a great conversation starter," I muttered so low I thought no one would be able to hear me. But no, Sam did with some super-sonic hearing power and his smile just grew. I seriously needed to practice being quieter. _Like that was going to happen._ I felt someone warm come up behind me and I turned, catching sight of an anxious looking Leah. And she had changed into more suitable clothing. Traitor.

"Hey Tal, can I borrow you for a sec?" She was trying to send me some freaky eye message. I just nodded and followed her wordlessly into a bedroom after giving the baffled couple a wave goodbye. Leah shut the door and sat on the bed.

"Did you tell anyone your last name?" She demanded. I shook my head---yep, this confusion was definitely growing. She exhaled in relief. Maybe I should have lied to see her reaction. That would've been interesting.

"Sorry, I'm just not sure how people would take it. Nobody really knows that Sam has a cousin. I think even he forgot--- he's so used to being abandoned. It would also raise some…questions."

"Okay, I'm pretty sure people would understand," I argued. "It's not like Sam's never seen me before."

"Did he recognize you?" Leah countered. Dammit, so much for winning that little round. My shoulders drooped in defeat. "Did you even recognize _him_?" She continued.

"Not really, a lot has changed," I said, not wanting to give her any more satisfaction. "But aren't they going to find out at the bonfire?" The tall girl's expression darkened. "I talked it over with Mom and your dad and they decided we're all going to keep it on a first name basis---just because. I'm passing along the message."

What the hell? Why did it even matter enough to keep it a secret? My temper flared a bit before I mulled it over. There was something not right here. I was obviously missing something or they were purposely keeping me out of the loop.

"Shit," Leah closed her eyes in exasperation. "I forgot to make sure this door was thick enough."

"What?" I felt so clueless. This sucked. I actually _liked _to know what was going on. Surprises weren't really my thing. She glanced at me for a second before responding. "We all have really good ears. It's not really a plus in the art of secret-keeping. Which reminds me, I've got to change my pa---schedule tonight."

"Patrol?" I said coolly. She caught on my mood and retorted back. "Work. My work schedule. I'm in security."

And why oh why would La Push need security? The questions just kept piling up. Fine, if she wanted to have her secrets, she could. We were leaving this place soon anyway. I didn't care anymore. (Okay, that was such a lie, but I had to _pretend _like I didn't care. Childish antics, I know.) "Whatever."

Leah pinched the bridge of her nose as if it would relieve some of her stress. "At least I can block a bit," she mumbled before heading out, leaving the bedroom door open a crack. I made a game plan before following. Maybe I could check out the playground next or go to my old house, you know, to make waking up at the crack of dawn worthwhile. It was a start, anyway. But first I needed to wash all this muck off me.

* * *

As I stood outside trying to remember which way the beach was, Emily attacked. "Hey Tala, I hate to ask, but can you bring these plates to Seth? He's down on First Beach---straight that way," she moved her hand in a line towards the south. Oh, right. I knew that. I nodded, noticing for the first time just how crowded the cottage was. It was filled to the brim with boys. Wow, this would be heaven for my friends back home. Hot half-naked natives. I could faint right now and be happy. Emily looked apologetic after placing the hot plates in my hands. We both weren't deaf to the rowdy demands for more food in the house. Poor woman. Sometimes, I felt it was a blessing that I couldn't cook.

I sauntered down a muddy trail, making sure that my shoes didn't completely have a color change. I closed my eyes as a slight ocean breeze whipped through my tangled egg and pancake splattered hair. It smelled of salt and pure goodness. I could totally get used to this. I wish Dad would get off his high horse and let us come more often.

The only word to describe First Beach, in my opinion, is peaceful. Coming from the city, I should know. Never mind Hawaii, this was the place to be. The indigo-colored waves thrashed up on black rocks in almost a rhythmic melody. Holding my cargo carefully, I kicked off my jet blue tennis shoes and walked into the cooling water. Yes, I was crazy, but it was like I was caught up in a spell. I knew I should probably go find that boy, but this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Soon, I found myself knee deep, the currents getting stronger and stronger. I almost went back to shore twice but decided to test fate.

Big mistake.

Why was the ocean so damn mesmerizing? I suppose it was because I hadn't seen water like this since I was, well, seven. Nothing even closely compared. I stood in it for a few long minutes in complete silence before taking another step.

My downfall.

I tripped on a hidden rock and somehow was falling backwards (typical, I would never do it the normal way). The only thought that ran through my head was, '_Crap. Emily's going to kill me!'_

But the impact of the water never came. All I got was the breath knocked out of me as I hit a hard, burning rock. It started moving…wait, hold up. Rock?

I looked up and found myself staring into the warmest pair of chocolate brown eyes that I'd ever seen.

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**Wow, wonder why it's on a first name basis...any ideas? You will get SETH HUGS if you get it right…Should I do a chapter in Seth's POV or should I keep the lovely sarcastic Tala as the narrator? Please, please review :D **


	4. Did My Heart Just Stop?

**Wow, I got 9 reviews on the last chapter! Thanks so much to everyone! If you run out of werewolf stories, read my other story Alpha. I just updated it. It's the books in Sam's POV--very fun to write, you get a good outlook on his life. Who knew it would be so…hard for him? Anyway, here is the next chapter. It took me a second to write--I wasn't sure how to end it. **

**Enjoy and please review! :)**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own SM's characters, just Tala and her dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Four:

* * *

_I tripped on a hidden rock and somehow was falling backwards (typical, I would never do it the normal way). The only thought that ran through my head was, 'Crap. Emily's going to kill me!'_

_But the impact of the water never came. All I got was the breath knocked out of me as I hit a hard, burning rock. It started moving…wait, hold up. Rock?_

_I looked up and found myself staring into the warmest pair of chocolate brown eyes that I'd ever seen._

* * *

I suddenly felt my body being dropped into the cold, salty ocean water. So much for being saved. It wasn't that deep, but I was soon gasping for air---I hadn't quite recovered my breath from before. Two flaming hot hands hoisted me up to the surface.

"I'm so sorry!" A deep rich baritone voice said over and over again. I took in a lungful before turning around and getting a dose of those puppy dog brown eyes again.

"It's okay," I spluttered. The guy was a sun-god. He had smooth russet-colored skin, short inky, black hair, and to top that off, a well defined six pack. He was like the other boys---extremely tall and handsome. I tried to revert my eyes---not wanting to be caught staring like last time. But he made sure that plan failed.

"I'm Seth," he held out his giant hand. I thrust mine into his while meeting his gaze. "Tala, nice to finally meet you."

"Tala," he repeated, saying my name as though it was sacred. A shockwave ran through my fingers. Quickly, he dropped his hand, letting it loosely fall to his side. I bit my lip, not really sure what to do. Contact with the opposite gender was sometimes terrifying to me. Nine out of ten times I got tongue-twisted. Seth just made me feel even more weird and awkward. "Finally meet me?" He asked, giving me a goofy grin.

"Well, I was _supposed_ to give you your breakfast," I scanned the water and saw an overturned plate floating twenty feet from me. Whoops. How in the hell did it get all the way over there? "Guess fate had a different plan." His grin just grew.

"Sorry for dropping you," Seth apologized. "I was just kinda shocked."

I smirked, "Well, it isn't everyday you see a random girl covered with pancake batter standing in the middle of the Pacific, compliments of your sister by the way."

"Leah? Did she hurt you?" He seemed almost anxious for my well being. Weird. Leah wasn't _that _bad. Sure she was a bit snippy, but it wasn't like she was a total psycho. Then again, I could completely be wrong and she might be some serial killer. "She's isn't exactly friendly," he said when he caught my expression. I laughed and his shoulders relaxed.

"Leah's cool, we were making breakfast for you guys and it ended up becoming a food fight. Emily thankfully had extras, hopefully there's still more…" I can't believe he was being so nice to me when I destroyed his breakfast. If it were me, I would be growling. I was never a morning person.

"Wow, that's new for her," Seth sounded surprised. "I've never seen you around before, and yet you're obviously Quileute. What's the story?"

"I moved to Texas when I was seven, and we don't really visit much—or at all really. This is the first time I've been here in nine years."

"So why now?" I met those curious, brown orbs, unable to look away. Dammit. What was wrong with me?

"Umm, we got a letter late, very late." I stammered, "I'm sorry about your dad." Seth stared at me for a second, not comprehending what I had just said.

"It's okay. It still hurts sometimes, but we're dealing." I nodded my head. I knew _exactly_ what he was going through---though his wounds were still fresh. What was sad was that he and Leah faced it with the same attitude. They both blamed themselves. And let me tell you, that's not exactly the easiest load to bear. Some weird chemical reaction happened in my head and for a moment, all I wanted to do was reach out and touch him. To reassure him that it wasn't his fault. I shook out of it. If this kept up, I was enrolling myself into therapy. A gust of wind flew through my hair and caused me to shiver. How was Seth not cold?

"Here, let's go to my house and get you another change of clothes. I'm sure Leah has something that will fit," Seth offered. I smiled, "I guess the one perk to falling in is that my clothes are now officially free of all white substances."

He gave off another laugh and I blushed. Ugh, yep. I needed therapy, pronto. I'd never reacted like this to any guy before. I spluttered, granted. But that was it. We waded out of the water onto the rocky shore. I collected my shoes and started trudging up the hill to the Clearwater's house.

"It's that way," his voice came up from behind me. I jumped and saw Seth pointing to the right, the complete opposite way I was going.

"Right," I faltered and began to follow him. I noticed that my head just barely reached up to his shoulders. And here I was thinking that I was pretty tall for a person my age. What a blow to the ego.

"So how long are you staying?" He asked, getting straight to the point.

"I'm leaving right after the bonfire," I said, not sure whether the emotion in the pit of my stomach was sadness or relief. "My dad is dead set on leaving---something about risks and dangers."

"What?" Seth exclaimed. Good, he agreed with me. What kind of shit was going on in La Push that was enough to scare my dad? Seriously. So far, I hadn't noticed anything wrong besides their wolf population. That was the only thing that got a ten out of ten for being scary here. But then Seth started shaking from head to toe. I stared at him in bewilderment. What was _his_ problem? "Like what does he say?"

I replied a little warily. You would too if you say him…nobody acted like that. "I don't know, he claims he's heard of stuff going on here. Apparently he doesn't want me to get caught up in all of it, but Dad is never one for specifics. One false word and you're practically grounded for life." And oh did he just love that punishment. I had missed so many parties and get-togethers with my friends that way.

"Ah," the boy frowned to himself and it soon became obvious that the conversation had closer. It was almost a relief when we go to the house. I walked in first, running straight into Leah.

"Oh, hey Tala. You're clean!"

I rubbed my head in pain. That _hurt_. I wasn't a sissy, but the girl had to be made of rocks and granite. "I had an unexpected swim."

Jacob popped up from the couch (nearly giving me a heart attack, mind you) and started laughing, "Wonder how that happened."

"Tripped over a rock and then got caught and dropped by one," I retorted.

"Caught by a rock. That's original," Jacob joked. I rolled my eyes. Idiot. "Fine, it was actually Seth, but same thing. You guys are all really hard." And I was not exaggerating. Jacob noticed my head and threw me an ice pack from a pile on the coffee table. There must've been like ten there, all stacked up. Nope, I didn't want to know.

"Seth?" Leah looked behind me and saw the younger teen near the doorway. "How was the swim?" There it was again---the double meaning. Forget pretending to be nonchalant, now I _really _was curious on what was going on around here.

"Interesting. Hey, Leah, can Tala borrow some clothes? I kinda got her wet by mistake." He went towards the fridge to find something to eat. I felt a twinge of guilt at his breakfast. The gulls must love. Leah grunted and motioned me up the stairs towards her room. She threw me a pair of jeans and a sweater, turning around while I changed.

"So what happened down at the beach? I've never seen my brother so pensive."

I shrugged, "Nothing much, you already heard why I'm wet. After that we just talked about your dad and when I was leaving." Leah narrowed her eyes. "That's weird."

No kidding. I dumped myself on her bed, and tried wringing out the water in my hair with a towel. "So why are we keeping it on a first name basis? Won't someone remember my dad and I from before?" I asked, digging for information. Leah rummaged through a beach back before replying.

"I don't honestly know. Mom's orders---she was the one who told me to make sure you didn't say your last name. If you did, I had to do dishes for the week." She shuddered at the thought. I didn't blame her. One time our dishwasher broke back home and my dad, too lazy to get it fixed, decided that instead of grounding me he was going to assign me to cleaning duty. Bad memories.

"When did she say that?" I was sort of interested. Sue had been in my sight the whole time, and she had never talked to Leah about me.

"When she was running to go call Em. I have good ears, like I said before." She wasn't bragging like I assumed before, she was almost…wistful? Regretful? I couldn't really place the emotion.

"Right," I said guardedly. "So what about the remembering thing? It's not like my family were hermits."

Leah cracked a smile, "Well, the parents of everyone will obviously remember you guys. But you've grown and things have changed. Our generation's good as oblivious."

So true…Leah and all the people at Emily's house were proof of that. This was all so weird and annoying. Maybe Dad didn't want to get me attached since we weren't even staying here for the night? That had to be it. I started humming to myself, happy that I'd finally figured out part of the puzzle. Tunelessly, I might add. Singing was not in my many talents. I noticed it was already almost an hour till noon. "So what are we going to do today?"

"Hiking?" Leah recommended. I cringed---gross. The city girl in me wanted to run away. Fast. She grinned and threw me some boots. "C'mon, it'll be fun. Just us two girls. We can visit the hot springs." I wish she was joking, acting, or something. However, Leah was dead serious. Either that, or I sucked at reading people.

"It's like 50 degrees outside Leah! And it's raining." I pointed to the window for good measure, showing her that the sky had let go and all hell was breaking loose.

"They're called hot springs for a reason, Tal. Just wear a jacket. I'll pack an extra t-shirt or two so we can swim." I inhaled in attempts to keep myself from winding up. I could either moan and groan a bit more, or just go with the flow. "Fine, but I get to pick what we do next."

"Fair enough," Leah replied, accepting my compromise. "Let me make sure no one's on the trails." She got out a flip cell phone and called my cousin.

"Sam. It's Leah." A surprised sound came from the opposite end. She continued slower, her words contorted. Leah's face had completely dropped her fake, way too energetic façade. I could tell it was an effort for her to keep a reasonable tone. The question was, as usual, _why_? "The posse's not out, right? Tala and I are hiking." Sam's response was pretty garbled. Not that I was trying to listen in or anything. "If I see Ryan, Miles, _or_ Alex there _will _be consequences. Last time they totally wrecked my hu---free time. Yeah, remember? They're your responsibility since…" Leah grumbled and listened to my cousin's 'wise' words. "Thanks," she said reluctantly and hung up.

"Trails are free, let's go." Leah attempted to act all cheery again. Now I _knew _it was an act. Just like my 'I'm not a bitch in the morning' act. It made her feel more real and relatable, if that makes any sense.

We hiked through La Push's woods for the next two hours, mostly in a comfortable silence. I didn't know how Leah could keep direction---my brain was already hurting from trying to figure out where we were. It wasn't until a little after one thirty when we reached the springs. I immediately threw off my shoes and put my feet in the water---ah, pure relief. Leah cracked a smile when she saw my face and started stripping until she was in a make-shift bikini. I changed into shorts and pulled off my sweater. It was so cold---I jumped into the hot spring first chance I got. Leah cannon-balled.

"I'm never usually like this," Leah stated after a few minutes of splashing. Like what? She had shown me so many personalities. Snappy? Bouncy? Real? I had a feeling she meant the latter. "To everyone besides Jacob and Seth, I'm a bitter harpy. I guess it's nice to meet someone who isn't judging."

"Bitter harpy?" I raised my eyebrow. Okay, I definitely didn't get _that_ from her many sides. I told her exactly what I'd deduced, and her jaw swung open. I seriously had to stop being so open-mouthed. My dad had once told me I was blunt and insensitive. What a kind father… Apparently she thought she hadn't been such an open book. She wasn't, I reassured her. I was just had to stop getting in other people's business. After that lovely conversation, she surprised me and told me the story of Sam and Emily---though, I'm almost positive she edited out a lot of things so he wouldn't seem so fickle. Too late for that. Leah was so misunderstood. It practically rocked me to the core. She had put up with so much crap. Yes, granted, she wasn't completely innocent, but still. That would suck for her.

"You have strange eyes," she commented lightly before going underwater again. Well, that won the award for randomness. I suppose my amber irises freaked everyone out a bit---they came from my mom's side of the family. She surfaced and laughed at my expression. "Sorry, I noticed them earlier and forgot to mention it. They're cool---like a yellowish-brown. I've only seen that color on leec---I meant a few other people, it's rare."

I nodded with an eye roll. "Damn genetics."

"Speaking of which, did you realize how similar you look to all of us? I suppose its Quileute blood. Especially Em--," she cut herself off and searched the trees. "Shit, I told him! He's so dead." Leah paused and glanced at my confused face. "Be right back." However, before she could hoist herself out of the spring, three gigantic wolves came into view. What was this? Like the magic number? I stood in the water like a deer in headlights. I scarcely noted that they were gangly and smaller than the ones I encountered earlier. I was so out of it. What was it with wolves and La Push? I this was my hell, they were my Satan.

"Go away," Leah hissed under her breath. The peppered one whined and backed off a bit while the other two stood their ground, snarling and showing their huge incisors. Okay, we know you're tough, now _please leave. _I backed up even further into water, unable to get a sound to come out of my throat. Leah turned and saw me, tears filling up in my tawny eyes. Oh god, here come the waterworks. I wouldn't be surprised if she thought I had a crying problem. "Tala, get away and go back to the house. I'll deal with these _things_," she said while shooting a death glare at the largest one. I inched towards the edge and shoved my sweater and shoes on. After throwing my jeans into a tote that I'd brought, I started running towards where I thought the house was.

It wasn't until fifteen minutes later when I officially declared myself lost.

"Crap," I muttered---it was suddenly becoming my new favorite mantra. I collapsed down on some moss and put my head in my hands. I might as well stop before somehow found myself wound up in Canada. Jeez, this would _only_ happen to me. A branch snapped behind me and my muscles stiffened. _Please don't be a wolf. Please don't be a wolf. _The snuffling sound kept getting closer and closer. Trying to ignore the fast beating of my heart and the short spike of adrenaline, I counted to ten before I twisted around. My eyes widened. There, with its nose to the ground searching for food, was a huge, black grizzly. The beast caught my scent and came to an abrupt pause. On second thought, I'd rather face the wolf. Yes, I did know, thanks to Biology in freshman year, that it didn't prey on humans. However, that didn't make up for the fact that it was also the most aggressive type of bear and would attack if it felt threatened.

Just my luck.

The beast rose up on its hind legs when it saw me. The thing was seriously eight feet tall with more than 1,000 pounds of pure fat. _Crap. Crap. Crap. _Okay, I needed to think fast. How could I make it harder for it to hurt me? Let's see, maybe if I acted dead the grizzly would just leave me alone. Highly doubtful, but I had to try. Shaking, I closed my eyes and cautiously laid face down on the ground, spreading out my legs. My hands were gripped around my neck. I prayed to everything that was holy, hoping it would work. It went down on all fours and I could literally feel every step that came closer to me. My head was screaming with the intuition to run, but I remained still. It started sniffing my hair; its hot breath blew on my skin. Needles pricked on my back and the hairs on the back of my neck rose.

There was no question about it. I was dead. More than dead. Bear-dead.

A lone howl swept through the clearing and the bear rose up again. Right over me. I needed to think of some last words. I'm pretty sure '_holy shit!_' did not fit the protocol of what you when you're about to die. Then again, who made up the stupid rules anyway? There was a lot of growling and the bear roared---threatened. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a wolf the color of desert sand. It was snapping at the bear, trying to get it to move as far away from me as possible. Its ears were pulled back, hackles raised, and white teeth barred. Salt-water began rolling down my cheeks as I realized that I was going to have the same fate as my mom.

The animals were fighting for their prey.

The gigantic wolf jumped over me on top of the grizzly, aiming for its neck. I shook like a phone on vibrate. My mantra was no help whatsoever. I had to calm down. I _needed_ to calm do---a large spurt of pain shot up my leg as something clawed it, and without meaning to, I let out a scream. Forget pretending and staying strong---there was no point to that anymore. This was the end. I swallowed in another wail as the wound was re-opened. I felt warm blood pour out like a mini volcano and drip down my skin. Not the greatest feeling in the world, let me tell you. This time I was sure it had been the bear---the wolf was still in the process of mauling it. The worst part was that I couldn't do anything till the brawl stopped. I had to wait for the winner to hunt me down and chew my body to pieces.

I didn't dare get up.

I don't know how long I listened to the fierce growls of both carnivores. It could have minutes or hours. It wasn't until I heard a whine and a soft, cold nose bury itself into my hands when I looked up. The sandy wolf was staring at me with this burning emotion that I couldn't place. It cautiously licked my hand, as if telling me everything was okay now. I hoisted myself up, quivering. When was it going to kill me? It frowned slightly at my reaction and lay down on its belly, trying to reassure me that it wasn't going to bite.

I didn't trust it.

With the help of my hands, I stood up. My whole left leg was crimson red. My heart started beating fast as I saw the wolf glaring as if waiting for my next move. I bit my lip down hard until I could taste the rust and salt. What the hell was I supposed to do now?

The gigantic wolf got up and crept towards me.

I had nowhere to turn.

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**Tala does have some pretty bad luck….please review and tell me what you think. I'm still up for theories. So far, everyone wants me to keep it in her POV; I may give Seth a 'special' later. I made this chapter longer than my usual for all those who wanted more. Feedback is loved! Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, put this on their favs, or alerted. You guys totally make my day :) **


	5. It's Offical, I'm Imagining Things

**Wow, last chapter's reviews got me writing faster for sure. You guys are seriously awesome! Usually I would wait another day or two. So here is my present to you, a very fast update. **

**Enjoy and make sure to review! It does motivate me, as you just figured out. **

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**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Five:

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_With the help of my__ hands, I stood up._ _My whole left leg was crimson red. My heart started beating fast as I saw the wolf glaring as if waiting for my next move. I bit my lip down hard until I could taste the rust and salt. What the hell was I supposed to do now?_

_The gigantic wolf got up and crept towards me._

_I had nowhere to turn._

* * *

"Please just go," I choked in a hoarse voice to the wolf. Downright terrified would be the phrase to describe how I felt at that moment. The intelligent, dark brown eyes of the wolf assessed me for a second in mid-step and slowly backed off. The evident relief on my face seemed to depress it. The animal whined and jerked its head to the blood that painted my leg. It was almost as if it was worried for me.

_It's only a wolf_, I told myself. _It doesn't think like a human being. _That didn't stop my mind from processing the new information. Why would a wolf do that? Why would it care? I was supposed to be its meal. Or chew toy. Or something along those lines. Maybe the wolf was shunned out of its pack because it thought like that. Maybe it was supernatural. Or maybe I was just losing my mind and was woozy from the blood.

"Tala! Tala! Where are you?" Leah's voice called out from a distance. The beast narrowed its eyes at the noise before sitting on its haunches and howling. A squeak came from my mouth as the sandy wolf gave me one last appraisal before disappearing into the trees.

"Oh thank god I found you," Leah rushed up to me in an awkward embrace. "What were you _doing_? You were supposed to go back to the house."

"Got lost," I weakly replied. "Then, got attacked by a bear and saved by a wolf---ironically." The color drained out of Leah's face. "A bear?"

"A grizzly, actually. I think it smelled something and came to investigate. I thought it and the wolf were going to kill me to be honest."

Leah became stoic, "Was it the same wolf that just howled a second ago?" I nodded and she let out a breath that she seemed to have been holding. "We have a lot of those in the woods. Ugh, I'm sorry. I should have been more…sensitive," she stuttered the last word as if it were alien to her tongue. Her eyes caught sight of the blood and I could swear her nose twitched. "And that? What the hell is that?"

"I think the bear scratched me," I shrugged as casually as I could even though the pain was now burning up my leg. "I'll just clean it out when we get back." She gave me an 'are you friggin' serious' look as she heard me lie through my teeth.

"That's bigger than a scratch," she said, trying to examine it. A noise emitted from my throat when she added pressure. I noticed I was trembling and tried to calm myself again. Didn't work. Big surprise there. "Can we go home, please?"

She motioned me to take off my sweater and tried covering the injury with it. I could tell she was about as experienced in First Aid as I was. Leah didn't say anything for a couple of seconds before she blurted out, "It's because of your mother isn't it? The reason you don't like wolves." The dirt on the ground became very appealing all of the sudden. She was about as patient as me when waiting for my response.

"They killed my mom. They're the reason she's dead. They're the reason we moved. They're the reason why my dad can't look at me the same way as he used too---I remind him too much of _her_," My voice got stronger with each statement as I fiercely glared at Leah. "And yes, I don't particularly like them. I _hate_ them. They destroyed my family."

She flinched and then put her hands on my shoulders, making me focus on her. "It's okay, Tal. I think I understand, but you know, not _all_ wolves are bad---at least the ones here. Didn't you say that one just saved you?" I shook my head, "That wasn't a wolf—or at least a normal one. It was too smart." Leah stepped back with a frown, shock coloring her features. I whispered, "The wolves that I'm picturing wouldn't just leave in the middle of their hunt."

"Maybe you're picturing it wrong," she mumbled back, still in disbelief.

"Maybe," I replied, "but maybe I'm not."

Leah swallowed and squared her shoulders. "Will you be okay tonight? I mean, our legends are about the wolves, and you are…" she let her voice trail off.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be fine. Anyway, they're just legends. Nothing real about them."

She gave a slight bob of her head, "Yeah, of course. All make believe." Her tone almost suggested that she thought the opposite, but I must've just heard wrong. We hiked back to the village in silence, me trying to cover up my wincing. Leah watched me attentively, lending me a shoulder when I needed it. Good thing too, because if not, I would've fallen on my butt from my leg giving away from underneath me a lot more times than I did. Apparently I was still weak from the encounter. Something that I was _not _happy about.

The sun was dipping on the horizon already, splattering the sky with colors. Exactly how long were we in the woods? When we reached Leah's front porch, she spoke. "I'll tell them about what happened---it's my fault anyway. I should've never left you. I just thought you would've remembered the woods from before."

Ha. No way in hell. I nodded in thanks. How could people even consider Leah a shrew? She cared, but like me, she wasn't so forthcoming about it. She covered it up. "I'll get my mom to look at that for you," she pointed at my injury. "Just sit down on the swing." Leah went into the house and brought out Sue with a First Aid kit.

They were speaking in hushed whispers, "I'm going to kill Sam, he promised…….yes, her dad is going to freak." I politely ignored them while Sue made sure there wasn't any scarring.

"Just a very deep scratch. You're lucky, Tala," Sue's kind face met mine. I gave a feeble laugh, "Yep, lucky me. I've met seven of my nightmares all in one day."

"Seven?" Sue glanced at Leah who was shifting uncomfortably. "I thought you said there were only three in the woods."

"Four actually, one saved Tala from the grizzly." The mother looked questioningly at her daughter and asked me, "What color fur, sweetheart?" Did it matter? They were all the same, weren't they? Wolves were wolves.

"Kind of sandy." Sue tensed for a second before giving Leah the longest stare imaginable. And here I was thinking my dad was the king of those. Boy was I wrong.

"Hmph, we'll talk later, Leah. Let's get you two ready for the bonfire. Peter should be done watching that game at Billy's by now." She paused. "Have you seen Seth?"

"Not since earlier," the russet-skinned beauty answered. I just shook my head, "Not since before hiking." Leah's shoulders relaxed at my response as she pulled me into her room. I swear, it was like this was becoming the main hideout. I felt like such a little kid.

"So, I suppose you really hate it here then, considering all the wolves…," Leah murmured as she changed into jeans and a white tank top. I watched her figure dash around the room for a few more seconds before answering.

"True, La Push isn't my safe haven, but I do like it, it's sort of peaceful. No soap operas or anything."

Leah snorted, "You'd be surprised." She disregarded my quizzical expression and continued to get ready. Bored, I ambled over to the window and watched the sunset. Yeah, I can be deep-ish. Surprised? Two figures were coming up the hill, Sue and a man in a wheelchair.

"Jacob was always too scared to ask, so I never said anything. Does she know?"

Sue shook her head, "Peter and I decided to keep her last name a mystery. Too many questions would arise. I'm just surprised Sam didn't recognize her---that was my biggest worry."

They were talking about me. Great. Why'd I always happen to hear these things? It was getting past the point of coincidental.

"Are they leaving afterwards?" The man gruffly asked. Sue nodded and he visibly sighed in...what was that? Relief? Fine, I don't like you either, stranger. I'm glad you want me out. "We don't need any more drama. Just got finished with the whole Bella ordeal."

Sue fidgeted, "There may be a little problem though, but I'm not quite positive if I'm right about it. If I am, we are going to have to rethink a lot of things." She didn't go any further much to my dismay. Dammit. "Anyway, how was the game?" They entered the house as he gave Sue a full report on scores etc. Boring.

I heard a gasp behind me and caught Leah putting a well-manicured hand to her mouth. I scrunched up my face, "Do _you_ know what they're talking about?"

She shook her head, obviously lying. But of course. I was the outsider and couldn't be trusted with any secrets. Hell, that dude in the wheelchair already wanted my dad and I gone. "Be right back, I have to go find Seth." With that, she charged out of the room shouting her brother's name at the top of her lungs. Yep, the invisible Seth was _bound _to hear that.

This visit was seriously getting beyond bizarre. It had only been less than 24 hours and I had found out that my dad had been keeping a secret from me---apparently a huge one. No wonder he never wanted to go back to La Push. Other than it being painful, all his mysteries were unraveling. My father….mysteries. I felt like laughing---I would have never known. He'd always been an open book for me. I went down the hall and found Jacob and Embry waiting for by the fridge. How predictable. They stopped stuffing their faces with chips when they saw me.

"We're supposed to be your escorts for the bonfire," Embry said in a proper tone.

I giggled. Oh god, are you kidding me? _I giggled_? What was the world coming to? I was becoming a giggling and blushing buffoon. "How'd you get volunteered? Lost a bet?" They both noticeably winced and my grin just grew wider. "Let's go then, I'm sure there's food waiting for you guys to inhale."

"Inhale?" Jacob asked in mock annoyance.

"You guys eat like wolves. So yes, _inhale_." They both stiffened like my Siamese Twins at my remark and I rolled my eyes, "No sense of humor whatsoever." I decided to march out towards First Beach without them. Screw the navigators. I could find it without them. Suddenly out of nowhere, I felt myself being lifted up onto someone's shoulders.

"You're too slow for us," Jacob teased, giving Embry a playful punch. Embry held on to me tightly, making sure I didn't fall. My stomach heaved at the height, but I managed to stick my tongue out at Jacob. "You guys are so immature! How old are you? Ten?"

Embry ribbed, "Eighteen actually, and what are you like? Three?"

I pursed my lips, "I'm sixteen, butthead. Now put me down." I was genuinely surprised---they all looked like they were out of college. Embry did a rodeo move and pretended to buck me off. I screeched and gripped his shoulders even tighter.

"Ouch, you've got a good grip…for a _girl_."

"Oooh you're so smart…for a _boy_," I responded, trying to swing off of him.

"Touché," Jacob remarked before attacking the hot dogs that lay on a nearby table. Embry put me down on a tree log before joining him. The area was packed. There must've been at least a dozen families here, maybe even more. My dad caught my eye and waved me over. He definitely was uncomfortable here.

"Pititchu! How was your day?" Oh god, I felt another eye roll coming on. I wanted to say, 'My day was swell, got confronted by four wolves, got attacked by a grizzly, and found out that your keeping something from me.' But that didn't happen. Sue gave me a warning glance and looked at my jean-covered leg forcefully. Did she think I was a complete idiot? Of course I wasn't going to tell him about that. I actually _valued _my life.

"Great, dad. Leah and I went hiking," I informed him with a fake smile. "What did you do?"

He grinned, his teeth gleaming from the fire. "Me and Billy watched that football game. The one I've been talking about for weeks, remember?" I dipped my head and turned my gaze to the ocean. It was even prettier after the sun went down.

"We're leaving right after, Pititchu. No exceptions," my dad's low voice startled me. I turned and saw his serious expression.

I honestly don't know what took possession of body, but I found myself whining, "Dad, we haven't been here for years. Can't we at least stay one more day? You don't want me driving during the night, do you?"

"Who said you'd be driving?" He contradicted.

I felt some unknown anger rush through me. "You did, after you said that we'd say hi to _everyone_, which includes your nephew by the way."

"Just eat something, Tala. I don't want you hungry on the road," and with that he turned his back on me. Rude. I got up and wandered around.

Apparently, having a somewhat organized dinner was a feat on its own. Emily and two other girls were rushing down to the beach with platefuls of food. On the picnic tables, there were already at least seven platters piled high with raw meat to be cooked by the bonfire, three pitchers of lemonade, two industrial-sized pies, and countless plates of potato chips. The guys were, of course, already pigging out. Quil and Brady were fighting over the last plate of burgers. Jacob threw a liter of soda to Embry, almost hitting Leah in the process. Collin yelled something to Sam before punching another massive teenager in order to steal a couple of already cooked hot dogs from his poker.

It was utter chaos. And everything, I noticed, was being emptied and refilled faster than I could possibly imagine. Yep, there must be something in the water, no question about it.

I felt like a total bystander watching the group--I wasn't part of this family. For the billionth time in my life, I wished I had a sibling to mess around with. Being the only child was great for the most part, but I had always felt like there was something missing. Something important. I remember asking my dad when I was little why he and my mom didn't give me another playmate. He'd laughed, saying I was the only one he wanted. But whenever he said that, I couldn't help but get this peculiar feeling---it was almost like my dad was holding back information. I suppose it was just my vivid imagination as a kid.

"Hey Tala, are you okay?" I turned and latched eyes with Seth. His voice was weary and tense---the complete opposite mood that I had left him in before hiking.

I nodded, "Just kind of pissed at my dad, but other than that I'm good." The boy held the most morose expression, almost like he'd been beaten. "Are _you_ okay?" I asked, and I swear I couldn't help it. The stupid chemicals decided to mix and I ended up brushing my hand against his arm in comfort. _Crap. _Electric shock. His chocolate eyes stared at me with this intense emotion and I immediately withdrew.

Creepy.

"Yeah, just had a hell of a day. Why're you mad at your dad?"

I moved a strand of my hair away from my face, "He's acting like a complete two-year-old. I want to stay longer and he is ready to leave."

"You could stay with us," Seth said, holding an expression filled with hope. "Mom wouldn't mind, neither would Leah or I."

"I would if I could. Believe me," I gave him a tiny smile.

Seth smirked, "I'm sure I could manage to convince him."

"Ha. Good luck with _that_. Did you already eat?" He shook his head---ugh, why was he making my heart beat twice as fast. This was _not _normal.

"Seth, head's up!" Quil threw him a poker and a bag full of uncooked hotdogs. Seth gave me a goofy grin---no one would've ever assumed that he'd been about as fun as a crypt keeper moments before. We went to sit by the fire to cook dinner.

"You're so hot," I thought to mention after he had accidentally moved his hand against mine for the third time in a row. It was like he had a fever. And I got the same weird psychic feeling that I had had earlier. I was, as usual, completely missing something once again.

"Why thank you," he teased. "I like to think so."

I shoved him with my elbow, hoping to hide the flush on my cheeks. "You know what I mean."

"I just run a high temperature---completely normal out here actually." Oh yes, I _had_ noticed that all the massive giants lacked a normal body heat. I added it to my long list of suspicions.

Leah plopped herself next to us, giving Seth a knowing grin. He turned away in annoyance. She then eyed me and stopped. "Mom's arguing with your dad, Tala, trying to give you a few more days." I looked through the fire and saw Dad's puce-colored face angrily answering Sue Clearwater. "That seems to be going well," I bitterly replied.

After an hour of eating and conversing, everyone began to settle down near the fire. The little kids all fell asleep in their parent's lap with one exception of a toddler who was snoozing off in Quil's arms. Sam and Emily were snuggled up along with a few other couples. The men were staring at their loved ones with the same look Seth had given to me earlier. What did it mean though? I shivered and scooted nearer to the flames. Like a magnet, Seth moved with me, hoping to warm me up. An old man (who I later found out was Quil's grandfather) started speaking.

"The Quileutes have been a small people from the beginning…" I listened to the legends that I hadn't heard in years. It was all coming back to me---the spirit warriors, Taha Aki, and everything. I scoffed at its believability, yet it was all pretty interesting. I'm sure my old history teacher would've been pleased.

I was drifting off a bit in the middle until Leah 'accidentally' woke me up. With an irritated glower in her direction, I paid attention to the elder as he went into the story about the Third Wife and her sacrifice before falling back into a dreamy daze. I could faintly hear the man talk about our ancestors and the Cold Ones, but by then, I was hardly able to keep my eyes open.

I was so completely out of it that I barely noticed when Seth shifted me so that now my head was in his lap. Nor was I aware of him stroking my hair.

It all felt like a dream.

Sleep had overcome me.

* * *

**And now she knows the legends…or most of them anyways, she kind of dozed off on the important one. So, any ideas what Billy and Sue were talking about earlier? Poor Seth, he was so sad that Tala rejected him in the woods. Will he be able to keep her in La Push a few days longer? Tala's dad is so secretive….the mysteries are slowly being revealed. **

**Feedback is much loved :) **


	6. The Alarm Clocks Attack

**Thank you soo much for all the awesome reviews! You guys are the best. Those things motivate me A LOT. Here is the next awaited chapter…some questions will be answered.**

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review : D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Six:

* * *

_I was drifting off a bit in the middle until Leah 'accidentally' woke me up. With an irritated glower in her direction, I paid attention to the elder as he went into the story about the Third Wife and her sacrifice before falling back into a dreamy daze. I could faintly hear the man talk about our ancestors and the Cold Ones, but by then, I was hardly able to keep my eyes open._

_I was so completely out of it that I barely noticed when Seth shifted me so that now my head was in his lap. Nor was I aware of him stroking my hair._

_It all felt like a dream._

_Sleep had overcome me._

* * *

A faint buzzing noise woke me up. I whined---probably my alarm clock. I hit something hard with my hand and winced. Since when did my alarm clock decide to attack me? My eyes blearily opened and took in my surroundings. I realized the noise was actually the blaring of the radio and I hit a window.

"Morning sunshine," chirped my dad. I squinted at his blurry shape and bolted awake. We were in the car---driving home. He was smiling happily as the dark shadows of the forest zoomed in and out of view.

"What time is it?" I groaned, trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes.

"4:30," was his response. Wait, what?

"4:30 in the morning?"

He shook his head chuckling. "Well Pititchu, it's certainly not 4:30 in the afternoon." My dad was such a morning bird---the complete opposite of me.

I gave him the meanest glare I could manage at this hour. "We couldn't have just left La Push in the morning," I retorted, "at a _decent_ hour?"

My father chose to ignore me and turned up the music. This was getting beyond infuriating. "Dad, can you then explain a few things to me? I mean, if I'm not going back there's no secrets. This trip hasn't exactly been…uneventful."

He sighed, and gave me a side-long glance. "You're so much like your mother---she loved cross-examining me too."

"Enough about Mom," I huffed in exasperation. "What are you hiding from me?" I yanked down the volume and crossed my arms. He was _not _going to get away with this. If he even tried to ignore me I'd make his life miserable.

"Nothing, Pititchu," he lied---you could tell because beads of sweat were forming on his brow. We had a quick stare down before he massaged his temples in stress.

"All I want is the truth. Is that so hard to ask?" I used my final weapon---puppy eyes. They worked like a charm. Dad crumbled like a cookie.

My father groaned. He knew he was beaten. "Do you know why you barely saw Sam when you were younger, Tala? It was because that's the way his mother wanted it. She did not want _anything_ to do with Joshua Uley…or his family. My brother hurt her more than I even want to know."

"That's not old news, Dad," I venomously spat. Yep, mornings were definitely _not_ my thing. "You could have at least told him who you were while we were there. What do they call it…start anew?"

"Don't make me the villain, Tala. I was just trying to protect you."

My mouth swung wide open as I yelled irritably, "From what? My family?"

"Enough. I will not be spoken to that way, Pititchu. Calm down." I threw him a disgusted look and stared at the road ahead. He sighed wearily and patted my knee. "I didn't tell Sam who were because it would raise some questions. The tribe doesn't need any more soap operas, Tala. We were only going to be there a day. I just wanted to leave it alone."

I scoffed. Did he think I was an idiot? "That's crossing the line of believability. What other lies do you have up your sleeve? I _know_ that's not the reason."

"Not now, Pititchu. I'll tell you later. I don't have the energy to fight about this anymore and frankly, I haven't got a clue of where you got yours. I was counting on having the living dead in the car, not a dragon." My dad sniggered at his little joke. My eyes flashed at him. It was obvious that he'd _never_ tell me.

"How could Sam forget me, though? My memories are vague too, but at least I remembered his name." I was a little hurt that my own cousin didn't even recognize me. I hadn't changed _that_ much. Then again, to be fair, I wasn't even sure that it was him at first. In my defense, he'd grown. A ton. And was probably taking steroids on top of that.

"Sam didn't remember you because, like I said before, we barely interacted. Unlike you, he was never reminded that his bastard excuse of a father had a brother. Are we clear?" I nodded slowly and watched the rain droplets roll down the window---this whole thing was beyond unfair. I never knew my father to be so reserved. It was ironic how this one trip brought a whole new personality to him.

I hated it.

I was awoken from my dreary thoughts when I heard a mechanical squeal from the car and felt the hard jolt of the brakes. My dad itched his head before jumping out and opening the front hood. A column of black smoke smothered him head on.

Well that couldn't be good.

"Tala, call Sue and ask her if one of the boys could pick you up near Port Angeles. I have to take the car to a repair shop," my father reluctantly said after a coughing fit from the fumes. I could tell me going back to La Push was one of the last things that he wanted to do. I narrowed my eyes at first, not knowing if he was serious. That would be such a cruel joke if he was kidding. Then, with glee, I dialed the Clearwater's home, hoping someone would pick up.

"Hello?" I heard Sue's sleepy voice.

"Hey, it's Tala. I'm so sorry I woke you up. I know that it's like five in the morning." I could almost hear the smile in her tone when she heard my name. "By any chance could you get one of the guys to pick me up so that my dad can take the car to get fixed? We're right near Port Angeles."

"Of course, Tala, it's no problem whatsoever. They barely sleep during the night anyway. Someone will be there in about 45 minutes."

"But it's like an hour and a half drive from La Push."

A smirk colored her voice as she replied, "The boys drive like speed demons. I'll send over the fast and the furious. But be forewarned, wear a seatbelt. If you don't, you can't say that I didn't warn you."

* * *

An old Ford truck pulled up right on time. I let out a sigh of relief. I hadn't had anything to do but glower at my dad for the past hour. Speaking of the devil, he ambled to my side as the driver slowly got out.

It was Embry. He had a look of pure satisfaction on his face when he glanced at our smoking SUV.

"I'm Embry Call, sir." He politely shook my dad's hand. My father tensed and paled visibly as he scanned the tall native. The man was acting like he just saw a ghost.

"Haven't seen you in years," my father mumbled as his face donned an unsettling expression. Embry and I both gave him confused stares. What the heck was he rattling about? "How's your mother?"

"Umm, good. She recently just started dating again. It's been off and on since I was born. Nothing other than that though besides worrying sick about me," Embry chuckled nervously. I'm pretty sure he didn't know what to think. My dad was still acting like a total zombie. I ignored him and sauntered over to the truck.

"Tala," my father began in a feeble voice. I turned and noticed his shaking hands as he continued to watch Embry. "Be careful." I gave him a thumbs up and hopped in the shotgun seat. Embry followed me, slamming the door on his way in. As he revved the machine, I gave him a side-long glance. "So who was it?"

With a sly grin he replied, "Well, it was a group effort. But most of the credit goes to Jake. He's amazing with machines."

"How much time did we get?"

Embry stroked his chin in mock thought. "Maybe 24 hours, 48 tops. The mechanic is going to have a hell of a time trying to fix that baby up. We made sure it had a good stall. Told you we'd rescue you."

"And I didn't believe you. I'm sorry," I apologized. "So how'd you get it to stop right outside of Port Angeles?"

"For me to know and for you never to find out," Embry said, yanking up the A/C. Weird. It was freezing outside. But I didn't have time to question his motives. I was too busy noticing that his head hit the top of the ceiling and his shoulders barely had enough room to slouch. Was he taking enhancers too?

"Guess I'll live. The whole thing was brilliant though."

"I'd bow, but I'm driving. Speaking of which, hope you don't mind the speed." He stepped on the gas pedal and the car accelerated at 70 mph, still gaining momentum. I clenched on to my arm rests, my nails making marks in the fabric. Sue wasn't kidding when she warned me.

"So," I said after a few minutes of pure adrenaline. "What T.V. show do you despise the most?"

"Aren't you supposed to ask me my favorite like normal people?" The corners of his mouth were twitching as if he were trying to suppress a smile.

"Who said I was normal?" I shot back.

"I suppose it would have to be that soap opera that I was named after then. It's called something like _Sunset Beach _or _Sunset Mountain_. Can't really remember. My mom says that my father had wanted to name me after the star. If I knew who he was, I'd probably strangle him."

"For giving you the name Embry?" He nodded.

I tapped my fingers on my knee, trying to recall if I'd ever seen that particular soap opera. "I think I know which one you're talking about. My dad loves watching it. I honestly don't know why. I can't stand it. Wait, you don't know who your father is?"

Embry shifted uncomfortably in his seat. I breeched a topic that was not up for show and tell. Whoops. "Not really, but I have a few ideas." He stopped after that, unwilling to go on. I didn't push it. It wasn't like I was _that_ curious. Okay, I was, but it was none of my business. After a couple more random conversations, he gave _me_ something to be embarrassed about.

"So, you like Seth?" I reddened. I wasn't the only one who thought I was acting like a complete bimbo around him apparently. "I suppose, he's a nice guy." I feigned a shrug. Embry wanted to say more, but I distracted him by saying the police were on our tail. The look in his face should have gone into an album---pure genius. We arrived at Emily's house a quarter to seven. Embry pushed me towards the door with a hurried goodbye before dashing off into the trees. Why was he taking off his shirt?

I felt completely uncomfortable standing on the doorstep. I'd only met the couple once. I finally sucked it up after a few minutes of standing in the pouring rain and settled for a few sharp taps on the wood. Emily opened and beamed down at me.

"Hey Tala! Long time no see. I guess the boys' plan worked after all."

"Was I the only person out of the loop?"

Emily grinned, "Well, in our defense you _were_ asleep. Now come on in, you're drenched. I have a bed already made up in the guestroom."

"I'm sorry for crashing here. As you know, the car broke down---courtesy of the guys. You must be exhausted."

"Believe me, it's no big deal. It was a rough night anyway. Sam's…checking it out." With that vague sentence, she pressed me on into a small blue room and closed the door. A change of clothes had been placed on the bed, all pressed and clean. Okay, I officially loved Emily. She was my guardian angel. I quickly got into the dry shirt and pants and then activated the alarm on my watch, throwing it on a nearby nightstand before lying down.

I didn't even notice that my eyes had closed until I heard the siren of that stupid obnoxious piece of technology. The LCD screen read 11:15. I groaned and knocked it off the bedside table, shoving my head under a pillow.

"Rise and shine," Emily sang opening the door. She picked up my evil nemesis from the floor and tossed it in my lap. A smirk appeared on her face as she saw my disheveled look. "I made coffee and waffles!" The ambrosial smell suddenly hit me and my mouth began to water. I darted into the kitchen and nearly melted in a puddle at the mounds of food.

I was starving.

"Leave some for the boys, Tala," Emily said as she walked into the small room behind me. "Wow, I don't think I've ever said that one before."

I scowled and put a few waffles on my plate along with a side of coffee. She did the same and we both took a seat at the round table. It wasn't long before a herd of boys sprinted in. I thanked the heavens that the two of us had eaten beforehand. The waffles and syrup were attacked in less than a minute. Sam closed the door and rushed over in one stride to Emily, taking her face in his huge hands. He leaned over and kissed the scars on her right cheek before reaching her lips. I felt intrusive. It was obvious that she was the world to him.

I watched as a group of gangly natives sat at the breakfast table next to Emily and I. The main topic was…routes? They later introduced themselves as Ryan, Alex, Miles, and Eden. Apparently, the other three people of their little posse were out with Embry and Paul doing 'training.' Training for what? A marathon? I recalled the biggest one, Miles, had shot a warning glance at Eden when it slipped out of his mouth.

The room slowly cleared after twelve with only Sam and I me remaining. Emily went to go shopping with a girl named Rachel.

Sam cleared his throat, "So, how are you, Tala?" He was so out of place, it was almost humorous.

"Umm good. Thanks for the rescue earlier."

"It was mostly just Jake's group, but we were informed." I thought over the meaning of his words. What did he mean by Jake's group? Weren't they all in the same group? The massive, overgrown teens of La Push?

My cousin began picking at a loose thread on his jeans, obviously frustrated at something. "I keep feeling like I've see you before. Are you sure we haven't crossed paths in the last couple years? Emily says that I'm hallucinating, same with the tribal elders. But I could swear…" He left the sentence unsaid and looked at me expectantly.

So Sam did remember me---sort of. I debated with myself on whether to tell him or not.

Okay, time to do pros and cons.

Pros: I'd reconnect with my uncle's son and we'd be a closer family---finally might figure out the big secret. Cons: Adults _wouldn't_ be happy and it would open up mysterious questions.

It was hard weighing my options. But what the hell? What was the _worst_ that could happen?

I looked him square in the eye and replied.

"Sam, I'm your cousin."

* * *

**Dum dum dum…**

**What will Sam's reaction be? There are many hints to the big secret in this chapter (of Tala's dad anyways), so check it and please tell me your theories--no matter how stupid they may sound. I enjoy reading what you guys think. By the way, I made up the soap opera because I have yet to find one with the name Embry in it…**

**Review :) :) :) **


	7. Don't Evoke The Wicked Witch

**Whoa, 17 reviews! You guys earn a gold! (LOL, the Olympics are getting to me) Thanks to everyone who favorited, alerted, and reviewed--totally made my day. **

**By the way, this would have been up hours earlier if my stupid computer didn't freeze and break down. My apologies, I hate technology when it's not giving me results. Lol. **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Seven:

* * *

_So Sam did remember me---sort of. I debated with myself on whether to tell him or not. _

_Okay, time to do pros and cons._

_Pros__: I'd reconnect with my uncle's son and we'd be a closer family---finally might figure out the big secret. __Cons__: Adults __wouldn't__ be happy and it would open up mysterious questions._

_It was hard weighing my options. But what the hell? What was the worst that could happen? _

_I looked him square in the eye and replied._

"_Sam, I'm your cousin."_

* * *

"What?" Sam stared at me in shock. I hesitated. Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea. "I'm your cousin." I repeated slowly, watching his facial expressions. They first went from anger, confusion, to absolute skepticism.

"Tala, I don't have any cousins. My mom didn't have brothers or sisters." He seemed so positive in his answer, I almost wanted to say, 'just kidding' and leave it at that. But something propelled me forward.

"Who said I was a cousin from your mom's side?" I challenged him. His face paled. Finally he was getting it. "My dad's?" he whispered in a low voice. I nodded with a triumphant smile. Good, we were all on the same page now.

"Wait, _you're_part of the Uley bloodline?" Sam stared me straight in the eye, practically willing me to defy him.

The corner of my mouth tipped up. Obviously. "Well considering Joshua Uley is my dad's brother and Levi Uley was his grandfather, I'm gonna to say yes."

Sam clenched his hands and wrapped his fingers on each other. "You can't be," he said in denial. I swallowed back a comment and waited for him to get a hold of himself. "Why didn't you tell me earlier then?" Sam rebutted.

"Nobody would let me. I asked my dad about it this morning and he said something about difficulties and wanting to leave it alone."

"With good reason," Sam sighed.

Great. I slid down in my seat, "He's going to kill me. Same with Sue. You were never supposed to find out."

"I can understand why," he replied, still not sure what to do. "It brings up a lot of issues." I raised my eyebrow---would he like to tell me these mysterious reasons? It was the polite thing to do.

"Like what?"

He noticed my curiosity and immediately recoiled, "Umm, nothing important. Just stuff about…my father." Sam rubbed his eyes and looked down. That boy was lying through his teeth. I threw my hands up in irritation. I seriously was never going to learn anything at this rate."So, who picked you up from Port Angeles?" My cousin asked with a sudden interest.

Still aggravated, I stiffly replied, "Embry."

"Hmm…," he nodded in approval before completely freezing. What was his problem? Did he have a stick up his ass or something? "Embry," he said slowly before snorting. "Yet another player in the game." I gave up on figuring out his stupid statements and tried to occupy myself by stealing the remote out from right under his nose. Flipping channels was so much more fun than Sam and his attempts to make sense out of all the information I'd mistakenly given him. My bad. I'd just _hate _to give anyone a hard time over it.

"Don't tell anyone else," he said finally. "We'll just keep it under wraps considering you're only going to be staying for another day or two. Speaking of which, Em told me to tell you that she'd love it if you stayed at our house in the guest room."

"Would _you_ love it?" I mocked him, wanting to see his reaction.

Sam forced out a grin, "Of course---I wouldn't turn my long lost cousin out." Talk about sudden mood swings---almost like a hormonal girl. I just smiled in return and we settled into a comfortable silence---our eyes now plastered to the T.V. I was kind enough to not switch it to some random fashion show. He so owed me.

Emily came back within the hour and soon lunch was being prepared. She shooed me outside, not wanting her 'guest' to be working. I bet she had heard about my amazing cooking skills and didn't want me to grace her kitchen. Ah well, I'd live. I paced around outside for a few minutes, not really knowing where I wanted to go. I finally decided to head towards First Beach---maybe the guys would be there. I could hang and actually have an excuse for the staring.

* * *

It was deserted---just my luck. I walked over and dumped myself on a piece of driftwood. It was drizzling slightly. I perked up and tried catching rain drops with my tongue. Texas hardly ever got this type of weather. It was always humid, never cold. The hair on my neck suddenly rose as I felt something staring at my uncovered back. I checked my shoulder with almost no movement to observe the trees behind me.

Watching me were two sharp, chocolate brown eyes.

I gasped and jumped to my feet. The wolf lowered itself to the ground---the head now resting on its furry paws. An act of submission. My subconscious told me to scream and run, but I stood there for a few seconds longer, quivering with fear. It was the same wolf from the woods---the one that saved me from the bear. What the hell was it doing here? Did it follow me or something? I closed my eyes, hoping it would go. It didn't. I backed up and gave it one last look before sprinting down the sandy beach. I heard the animal give a mournful howl and my heart stopped to grieve.

What was wrong with me? This was _not _normal. I needed to talk to someone. Someone who wouldn't judge. I didn't even realize where I was going until I found myself standing in front of the gate. The gate of the cemetery--the gate of my hell. My hand pushed open the rusty metal and I walked almost in a daze to the far left-hand side of the grave-covered field.

_Here lies Nina Simone Uley_

_Beloved mother and wife_

_April 12th, 1963-August 29th, 1999_

_May she rest in peace_

My eyes watered up and wet tears soon began running down my cheeks. I stared at the grave marker---the yard was in absolute stillness. My head started pounding as I sat above my dead mother's body. Why'd she have to go? What had she done to deserve her fate?

I could have been there for seconds or hours---time made no difference anymore. My mind was going through reruns of happy memories that I had when I was younger. All of them involved _her_.

It's almost humorous how when we're missing someone, the arguments and the fights either disappear from remembrance or are constant factors. Recollections will either haunt you for life or leave completely because of the want to be reminded of the rare, good times.

Our tendency as humans.

Someone came up from behind me, wrapping their arms around my waist in reassurance. I involuntarily leaned back and enveloped myself in the person's warmth. Their hot breath tickled my hair before I made myself peer up. Seth's concerned face looked down on me, eyes full of sympathy and that stupid burning emotion. If I had enough energy, I would have started hyperventilating on spot. However, all I could do was give a faint word of thanks before settling my gaze back on the dark stone.

We stayed like that for awhile. It should've been awkward considering I had only known him for like a day, and yet it felt so right. And that seriously left me scared shitless.

* * *

Nobody asked questions when we returned back to the house. They didn't even acknowledge the fact that Seth's huge hands were wrapped around my own. Hell, I barely noticed that. I was too busy in my little world, oblivious to all around me. Whenever I got into these brooding, self-loathing moods, it took a miracle to get me out.

Seth became my miracle.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He murmured as we sat down at the kitchen table. "When my dad died, it took a toll on my whole family like it did for yours. Sometimes talking helps." Seth wanted in, I could totally tell. He wanted to make me feel better. I pushed my wavy dark hair out of my salt encrusted face.

"I don't know," my depressed voice bounced against the walls. "I'm not even sure why I went there in the first place. Something reminded me of her death and I just found myself at the cemetery."

"What did?" Seth asked gently.

Tears once again filled up my eyes as I told him, "A wolf." His expression turned to stone. "My mom was killed in a wolf mauling. Ever since then, I've been afraid of them. I can't help it."

I put my head on the grainy surface, almost missing Seth mumble, "So that's why," under his breath.

"Not all wolves want to hurt you, Tala," he confided to me. I half-heartedly laughed, "That's exactly what your sister said right after my accident in the woods."

He nodded seriously, "Because it's true--at least around here anyways. The wolves around La Push, I admit, are as huge as horses, but other than that they're pretty tame. Their interest lies elsewhere." Seth almost grinned at himself as he said that.

"Like where?"

"They hunt a different species," he responded almost mysteriously.

I cracked a smile. "Thanks for cheering me up, you're an awesome friend." Was it just my imagination or did he wince when I said the last word?

"Hey! We're going cliff-diving, wanna come Seth and umm…" A dark-skinned adolescent flew into the room pausing only when he forgot who I was.

"Tala," I supplied. "And you are?" He informed me that his name was Jared. We both agreed and the three of us, joined by Paul (another steroid user), trudged up the trail to the cliffs. A whole group of people were already there. I could make out everyone that I had met earlier along with a few unrecognizable faces. Sam waved before wrapping his arms around Emily.

"They're expecting a baby," Leah said out of nowhere. I jumped, caught completely off guard. What? A baby? I didn't even know they were married! I saw the wedding ring glinting off Emily's left hand and felt like a total dunce---why didn't I notice that before? Oh right, 'cause I wasn't paying attention.

"You can be so unobservant, Tal." Leah mocked when she saw my bewildered expression. And here I was thinking I was such a smartie pants for figuring out they had secrets. What was wrong with me? I guess I thought I would've been invited if there were a wedding. But Sam didn't know I existed back then…unlike now. Oh, shit.

"_What_ did you do?" She took a hold of my shoulders. Damn, she had such a tight grip.

"What makes you think I did something?" I argued, trying to shrug off her hands while avoiding eye contact.

She held on firmer, making me look straight at her. "You didn't…" she whispered fiercely. I could tell she _really _wanted me to contradict her. Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. Why did I freaking have to be such an open book? "Does anyone _else_ know other than him?"

"No," I managed to burble.

"Why'd you do it?" I wanted to ignore her and just walk away, but that would only make things worse.

"Damn it, Leah. I had no reason not too!" I shouted, causing a couple heads to glance our way. I lowered my voice. "I asked my dad and all he gave me were lame, crappy excuses."

"So you decided to take matters into your own hands. Was it worth it?" She smirked. My cheeks flushed in anger. My answer to her. Leah's stupid smirk just grew.

"This calls for punishment," she said with a playful undertone. With that, she clenched my wrist and dragged me close to the cliff's edge.

"No!" I screamed. I wasn't that good with heights. "Don't you dare, Leah Clearwater."

"Is that a threat?" she goaded. "Because it's not a very good one. You need to do some serious begging or else…," she pointed her finger to the waves below. I looked wildly around. Half the guys were already jumping and the others were trying to persuade their girlfriends or wives (in Sam's case) to go down with them. Emily was down-right refusing while two other nameless girls were crumbling to the puppy eyes. Typical. I turned back to Leah. The corners of her mouth moved up into an evil smile that even the Wicked Witch would get shudders from. I groaned, where was Seth when you needed him?

"Well Tala, I guess this means goodbye." And with that she pushed me off to my doom. My stomach lurched as I felt myself flying downwards. The rate of my heartbeats soared as I felt the adrenaline rush. My eyes nearly closed my eyes in dread.

The waves were slow in coming. I thought that I might never hit the water.

_Splash._

My body plunged into the freezing ocean. Oh my freaking god. Didn't they check the temperature beforehand? Not all of us were naturally warm-blooded. My thinking process came to a halt when my lungs started to burn from the loss of air. I tried kicking up, only to be shoved under again by a current. I was too deep. Out of nowhere, a hard something hit me right in the chest and I felt myself sinking even lower towards the deep-sea floor. My last breath officially left me in a thick cloud of silver bubbles.

Why the hell did this always happen to me?

Dark splotches dotted my vision as I began losing consciousness. I moved my arms around wildly in my last attempts to reach the surface. But it was too late---my body was shutting down too fast.

I blacked out.

* * *

**Mwah hahaha…so what will happen next? If you're wondering, someone accidentally jumped right on top of her. Yikes. Do you guys want me to put like a sentence or two from the previous chapter on each new one so you don't have to go back? Some people like that….so let me know.**

**Please review! Feedback and critics are much wanted :) **


	8. I Don't Think I Like Hospitals

**Loved all the feedback! Thanks so much everyone! 20 reviews?! I seriously don't deserve you guys…The review grammy goes to Vivacie who wrote the most hilarious Sam impersonation, hehehe. Hopefully this chapter will be a bit less traumatic than the last…but who knows? **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Eight:

* * *

_Dark splotches dotted my vision as I began losing consciousness. I moved my arms around wildly in my last attempts to reach the surface. But it was too late---my body was shutting down too fast._

_I blacked out._

* * *

"Tala, wake up! C'mon breathe!" An antagonized voice begged. They sounded so far away, yet I could sense someone shaking my shoulders almost violently. My eyelids flickered open and black spots bloomed across my vision along with a shower of stars. Well that wasn't good.

"Breathe Tala!" The person ordered and smacked their hand into my back, right between the shoulder blades. I choked up a fountain of water that had gotten stuck in my lungs. It tasted stale and disgusting. I think I was going to get sick.

"She's breathing," a deep baritone tone nearby confirmed. If I wasn't feeling like I'd been fried on the inside and then wrung out to hang, I probably would've rolled my eyes. Well, no duh I was breathing. If I wasn't, I don't think I'd be here.

"How hard did he hit her?" I heard Emily whisper to a spectator. I tried focusing my eyes, but everything was way too blurry. "Pretty hard. She'll need to be checked out."

"Tala, can you hear me?" Seth clasped my hand in comfort. It took all my energy to just nod---I felt so drained. "What hurts?" he gently asked.

"Just my...my throat," I croaked. Yep, I was definitely feeling those waffles now. "What happened?" I forced my eyes to clear up and stared into Seth's worried face.

He grimaced, "Paul was sort of showing off for Rachel and didn't realize where he was going. You hadn't emerged from the waves, so the water seemed safe."

"And I fainted?" I had never fallen unconscious before---at least not involuntarily. Sleep doesn't count. My friend, Amy, blacked out from the auditorium lights once when we were practicing for a musical in the fourth grade. I had always wondered what it felt like. Of course when my time comes, the last thing I can recall is trying to reach the surface.

So much for that experience.

Seth almost laughed when he saw my expression. "Hey, I'm going to go try to find you a blanket, be right back."

As if on cue, a russet-skinned girl flew over to my side. "I am so sorry! Paul—he was trying to get me to go down with him. The idiot decides to go backwards just to prove how _easy_ it is. And he---"

"Where is he? Paul, I mean." I interrupted her, trying to prop myself up on my elbows.

She cursed under her breath, "Well, we found you just as you sort of lost it. Sam and Seth both dragged you out and after umm… Seth was pretty ticked and Paul and he had a yelling match. It was pretty bad considering he's such a happy-go-lucky sort of guy. Right now let's just say that Paul's cooling off."

I don't think my brain followed that at _all_.

"We're taking her to Carlisle," Sam walked up to us. He bent down on his knees, his concerned brown eyes scanning my tawny ones. "You okay?"

Why does everyone keep asking me that? Even before it seemed like it was the common question. Maybe it meant something special in the land of La Push, I didn't know. Whatever it was, I was obviously out of the loop. I tried to lift up the corners of my mouth. "Other than being a little dizzy and shocked, I'd say that I'm all good."

"We'll see about that--- Dr. Cullen is going to examine you." He said the name with such distaste that I wondered how the poor doctor got onto Sam's hate list. I noticed Jared and a couple of the other boys shudder.

"Why're you seeing that blo---," a younger girl asked before having her mouth covered by one of the posse.

"Where's Jake?" Someone in the great throng of people now surrounding me thought to ask.

"With Leah and Nessie," Embry strode up, looking down to catch a sight of me. "Man Tala, I leave you for a couple of hours and you get yourself all bruised up. And here Sue was thinking that _I'd_be the one to cause any damage. It's not like my driving skills are that bad." He insisted before laughing at himself.

After a couple rounds of jousting, Seth sauntered over and tenderly picked me and a half a dozen blankets that he had just added up off the ground. I blanched---my ribs ached. I really needed to do some major work on my poker faces---the only thing my limited acting expertise didn't cover. Seth almost immediately noticed my discomfort and I had to endure yet another interrogation of how I felt.

"Why're you being so nice?" I asked him after a couple minutes of walking. "I barely know you." He shrugged in response. "So any particular reason that Leah is with Jake?" I tried again---I would make Seth give me answers. I hated being in the dark.

"Damage control," he murmured without any more of an explanation.

"Did you get her too?" I snapped, now irritated.

Seth's eyes widened when he saw my face. "What do you mean?" He honestly didn't know.

"You haven't killed Leah for pushing me off that damn thing in the first place?" From his shocked expression, I could already figure out the answer.

"Wait, Leah _pushed_ you off?" The boy started shaking like crazy. Ugh, why couldn't I just keep my stupid mouth shut? He was now on the verge of dropping me.

"Seth, calm down!" Embry and Quil rushed up to us from the beach. Embry quickly took me while Quil grabbed Seth's arm and dragged him roughly towards the trees. I began to wonder what they did in those trees. Those innocent-looking trees. Those damn things must see a lot.

"He'll be fine," Embry reassured me. "Though he's gonna regret that later." He laid me down in the backseat of his truck and began slowly driving towards Forks---a speed that I didn't think was even possible for him after this morning. The pain in my chest had dulled a bit, only coming back when I moved. Which was a lot.

Brilliant.

I can't admit that I've been to plenty of hospitals because that would be a straight up tall tale. I was just never the hazardous sort of kid when I was younger. I know, very ironic considering La Push has been anything but a cake walk for me. But quite honestly, I'd only seen hospitals on T.V. Those images were all I had to go off of. When we got out, I noticed my cousin had followed us in his car. We all then walked--or in my case, lay in Embry's arms--into the reception area and waited until my name was called.

"Sam, what brings you here?" A melodic voice greeted my cousin. I looked up.

Imagine the hottest male celebrity with blonde hair, white teeth, and all the works. Multiply that by a hundred, add a couple more thousands, and then you'd reach the level of Doctor Cullen. He was pale as snow and drop-dead gorgeous. I had to mentally tell myself to quit staring.

"Tala got hit by Paul---I think she may have broken some ribs. Can you help?"

"Paul? The temperamental one?" Sam nodded. "What did she do to anger him?" The doctor asked in mild curiosity while motioning us towards a couple of ominous white doors.

"We were cliff-diving and he jumped on top of her by accident," Embry offered.

I gritted my teeth. "Hello! Her is here."

"I'm sorry," the blonde man grasped my hand. "My name is Doctor Carlisle Cullen, and you must be Tala." I barely gave acknowledgement. I was too busy trying to figure out why Dr. Cullen's hands were as cold as ice. It was _not_ normal---almost like how the guys at La Push had their strange heating problems.

So confusing.

"This won't hurt at all, Tala," the man said kindly as he started taking x-rays. He had shooed away everyone else. It was just me and him. I closed my eyes, still exhausted from earlier. After that lovely procedure, he took me into a room and began taking my blood pressure and all the other sorts of things that you went through on yearly check-ups.

"You're too pale. What happened after Paul hit you?" He questioned in a tone only doctors have. Sometimes, their bedside manner sucked. It was too creepy. I would most likely go into a heart attack here than somewhere else.

I snorted, "I don't know--- I blacked out and found myself lying on the beach having water knocked out of me."

"You came right here?" His brows furrowed and then he called Sam's name. Did he really expect my cousin to hear him from all the way down the hall? You'd have to have super hearing---

To my complete surprise, Sam walked through the door.

"She has a fractured rib and a minor ankle sprain from when she landed, but other than that she's fine. Are you sure he hit her hard?" Dr. Cullen asked Sam gravely.

"He fell right on top of her," Sam looked at me in disbelief. "There's nothing else wrong with her? Positive?"

"Completely. If what you say is true, she'd have a severed spine and possibly a concussion---you all definitely aren't light. I recommend her too sleep, first off. Then, give her a couple of painkillers and put some ice on her foot. I'll bandage her up, though I'm sure that it will be gone in a day, two tops."

"A fracture? Don't those take _days_ to mend?" I retorted, not meaning to be rude. Okay, I was, but it was only because they were referring me in third person again. It's not like I was deaf and invisible. Dr. Cullen didn't answer.

"I guess you're a fast healer, Tala." Sam flashed me a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. It was almost as if there was a mental war going on in his head.

"Your guesses are right, Sam," a smooth, musical voice entered the room. I turned and found myself facing yet another inhumanly beautiful person. He had perfect facial features with un-tidy bronze hair along with the same color eyes and skin as Dr. Cullen. Yep, my friends would have absolutely died to go on this trip with me if they knew what I'd been seeing. Sam's eyes grew as big as saucers and he stared at me with an unknown pain. I grimaced and watched the newcomer. How did he know what Sam was thinking? The boy gave me a sharp glance---doing a one eighty at the sight of my amber eyes---before continuing. What was his problem?

"I'm guessing Jacob forgot to mention that Kate and Garrett are staying with us for a month or two. Garrett needed extra _help_ in keeping with the right menu." A menu? It couldn't be that hard to be a vegetarian, a vegan, or whatever he was trying to turn into. I personally didn't know because I was a one hundred percent meat-lover, but still. Were there programs now for people to adjust? Seriously, if it was that hard, they should just stop trying. Humans were _made _to be carnivores.

Sam frowned, clearly pissed. The new guy tilted his head a bit as if listening to my cousin's thoughts. "Since it's already starting I'd advise you to just keep her here. I apologize for the late notice. We should have informed _all_ of you beforehand."

"Excuse me," I interrupted them, furious at being ignored once again. "Who are you?" I pointed to the boy. "What has already started? And why do you need to tell Sam that you were having guests?"

"I'm Edward Cullen," the boy replied as if I should've already known that little fact. Wow, _somebody_ thought he was all high and mighty. Talk about big egos. "And aren't _you_ being a little more than inquisitive for a third party bystander?"

"It seemed like it concerned me," I spat and folded my arms. "But prove me wrong." Carlisle intently looked in my direction before going back to listen in on the pair. Edward had no answer and carried on his conversation with Sam---something about treaties. They seemed to be arguing. I blocked them out, honestly giving up on trying following all this small town drama It didn't matter anymore. I could quit being nosy. I was going home back to the scorching heat and all my friends soon anyway. Ugh, I felt so cranky. I'm usually at least a little bit more collected. Probably because of the lack of sleep, I decided.

"Tala, we're going," Sam said softly out of nowhere before picking me up. I couldn't help myself and glowered at him, completely peeved about their rude disregard to me earlier. When we walked into the lobby, a couple people cheered. I raised my eyebrows while Embry and Quil attacked us with questions. Scanning the room, I saw Emily, Jared, and Seth waiting quietly in the back. Seth seemed to have calmed down tremendously, but still tensed when he saw me in Sam's arms.

"Tala, are you okay?" There it was again! It was getting freaking annoying. Emily walked up to us, squeezing my hand in comfort.

Sam saved me from replying. "She'll heal when she rests." These double meanings were beginning to suck. With that, he handed me over to a now growling Seth. What was I---a porcelain doll?

A chuckle sounded from my left as I caught the eye of Edward Cullen. I frowned unhappily. Suddenly, a little girl flew out of nowhere and attached herself to his knee. "Daddy!" He was a _father_? The boy appeared to be only a year or two older than me.

"Renesmee, your father's busy," a woman chided her, trailing behind. She had chestnut brown hair that curled past her shoulders as well as the same topaz eyes and pale skin as her husband. I couldn't help but envy her a bit---she was beautiful. Edward grabbed her hand and introduced me. "Bella, this is Tala. She's going to be staying at the reservation."

"Visiting," I corrected him. Bella faintly nodded and her eyes averted from me to Seth. "Seth, how are you? You haven't come by lately with Jacob."

"He's been busy," Jacob strode in heading straight for the little girl. He picked her up and swung her body around. I noticed that she looked exactly like her dad in everything but the eyes. The eyes were a sharp and intelligent brown. Bella lit up after a second and gave Seth a radiant beam. "Congrats," she mouthed. I wanted to scream, 'on what?' but decided that I'd met my rudeness quota for the day.

Renesmee---at least I think that was the weird name I'd caught off from her mom---saw me in Seth's arms and came closer. "Jacob, is that Tala?" she whispered, pointing at me. I was stunned. A person that young shouldn't be able to speak like that until they were at least five or six. I knew girls matured faster than boys, but not that _fast_. Edward ran his hand through his bronze hair in frustration.

"Yep Nessie, that's her," Jacob whispered back with a huge grin on his face. Nessie tiptoed closer and gazed at me. "You have the same colored eyes as mom and dad. Are you a--." Edward sprung at his daughter and gave her an intent stare. Nessie bit her lip and then gave me an innocent, dimpled smile as if nothing had happened.

"I'm Nessie," she held out her hand. No shit, Sherlock. Seth lowered me down so that my face was leveled with hers. I lightly took it and replied, "Nice to meet you, Nessie. As you already figured out, my name's Tala." She hesitated as if deliberating something and reached up to my face.

The instant she touched me, something unexplainable happened. Memories that weren't mine rushed through my head.

_Jacob holding what I supposed was Nessie with the same intent look that Seth had sometimes around me. A black-haired pixie shopping and throwing outfits all over the place. A man covered in battle scars. A bulky weightlifter playing video games. A blonde beauty kissing him and playing with Nessie. Dr. Cullen and a woman reading together. Edward and Bella sleeping with their child._

It seemed to be memories of her family. Then the images got even creepier.

_A huge russet wolf standing with two others: a small, gray one, and the same sandy wolf that I'd encountered in the woods and on the beach. Bella, looking strangely different and a little more ordinary, covered in blood. Bella charging Jacob across a lawn and Seth leaping between them. Seth injured, sleeping on the couch. A bottle of a red, sweet smelling liquid. People gathering and watching Nessie. A crowd of insanely beautiful predators with ruby eyes walking, ready to strike. Edward drinking blood from an animal._

Edward and Jacob both immediately pulled Nessie away from me with super-human speed. But the damage was done. I looked at them all in shock and horror.

"What are you people?"

* * *

**Ok, I couldn't resist writing that. Yes, I know more drama but still…had to happen sometime. So, no flames please :) We finally get to meet the happy couple. Had to have little Nessie in there even if I'm completely against her birth and her name (ridiculous and unoriginal)….she made the conflict happen. So, what will happen next? Dum dum dum… Please review! Feedback and critiques are much wanted :D**


	9. One Miracle for To Go, Please

**Wow, 21 reviews! You guys are amazing. I love all the feedback, no matter how small. So, here is the much anticipated Chapter 9. **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Nine:

* * *

_Edward and Jacob both immediately pulled Nessie away from me with super-human speed. But the damage was done. I looked at them all in shock and horror._

"_What are you people?" _

* * *

I glared at the group around me, waiting for an answer. Everyone in the waiting room was watching—the receptionist had already dropped her tube of bright red lipstick in shock while mothers were shushing their kids so they could eavesdrop.

"This really isn't the right place, Tala," Edward concluded finally.

"Hell, it is. Your demon child just showed me an image of you drinking _blood_," I hissed at him. Edward tensed and suddenly a large, hot hand appeared on my shoulder. Seth was shaking his head at me. "Not now, Tal. There are other people here."

I narrowed my eyes. "So? It's a hospital! She needs to go to an institute or something anyway." Nessie started tearing up and Jacob gave me the dirtiest look before gathering her up in his arms. I glanced around and saw that Emily, Jared, Embry, along with the rest of them had some pretty repentant faces. Well, scratch that. My cousin just stood there without a single damn emotion.

"What's going on?" I emphasized each word while holding back the exhaustion that was trying to overcome me---answers were more vital than anything. And I would get them, dammit.

"We'll tell her," Sam told the Cullens. "Please refrain Renesmee from doing this in the future."

"She didn't know any better!" Bella went into full maternal mode. "We all thought that _she_," her finger pointed to me, "already was informed!"

At least I knew for sure that they were hiding something. Bella didn't leave much for the imagination. Edward shifted uncomfortably. "We'll make sure Nessie understands the full extent of her actions." The whole clan then stiffly walked out toward the electronic sliding doors. Edward was going to have to deal with the wrath of Bella later---no doubt about that. With an angry look at my supposed friends, I shut my eyes, not wanting to speak to them.

_Whatever they 'forgot' to mention must be huge_, I thought bitterly. And of course I'm kept in the dark. Well that wasn't really new. In case they didn't know, I _detest_ being blissfullyignorant. Seth held me closer to his unclothed chest, almost protectively. Like a caveman. Soon I'd be dragged to his lair. What was sad was that the thought didn't totally repulse me.

"Tala," he pleaded after a few minutes. "Please cut the silent treatment."

I cracked open one eyelid and found his intense, dark brown eyes looking down at me. I felt a little pull that made me draw in nearer towards his chiseled face. What was wrong with me? I shook my head in attempts to fight off the feeling. Vulnerability was not in my agenda for today. A flash of pain crossed his face before he started again.

"Tala…" I looked around. We were on First Beach. Alone. I cut him off quickly. "How'd we get here so fast? We were just at hospital."

"I have something to tell you," he gently laid me on the sand and sat down next to me. I struggled to get into the same position, but Seth held me back. I peered at him before huffing and crossing my arms at the darkening sky. I knew he was only trying to make sure I didn't break any more ribs, but still…it was freaking annoying.

"What Seth? What big thing did you guys refuse to tell me about earlier?" I retorted.

He seemed offended and shot right back, "We only did it because we wanted to protect you."

"Sounds familiar," I drawled, trying to act uninterested. "Any other lies you want to feed me?" I knew I was just fueling the fire, but I was furious. I hated secrets almost as much as lying. They'd been kept from me my whole life.

Seth leaned towards me, his low voice murmuring in my ear, "I just didn't want to hurt you anymore. You're already going through a lot."

The flames were doused. His words unfroze my ice cold heart that had come with my bad mood. Was he a magician? Why did I feel like I was melting whenever he was around? My face visibly softened and a huge smile dimpled his cheeks. I could just imagine the words going through his head--- _'Sweet success.'_

"Tala, do you remember the Quileute legends that you heard at the bonfire?" I nodded, what the hell did that have to do about anything?

Seth brightened, "What about the ones explaining the tribal protectors and the Cold Ones?" The corners of my mouth drooped slightly. I had fallen asleep right before Old Quil had gotten into those stories.

"I think I was out before then," I confessed. "The last thing I heard was the one about the wife who sacrificed herself."

He bit his lip, hesitant and unsure of himself---emotions I had never witnessed from any of the La Push boys. It brought him more down to my level. "Okay," he took a deep breath giving me that intent look again. What did it mean though? "What happened in the woods with Leah?" I wrinkled my nose. Again, why was he going onto these random topics? I wanted to yell for him to get to the point.

"Umm we swam at the hot springs, some wolves came up and Leah told me to run for it, then a bear attacked me." The chocolate orbs were wary, and for some weird reason, I was getting déjà vu. They seemed oddly familiar---I'd definitely seen them before, but not on Seth. "Anything else?"

I racked my memory. "There was the wolf that saved me," I confided to him. "I saw it again at the beach at noon before you found me." My voice faded out as everything instantly clicked. I gasped and glanced at Seth's piercing, brown eyes and compared it the ones of the animal.

They were exactly the same.

"No," I jumped up to my feet---wincing at the pain---and backed away from him. "No, you can't be." I felt dizzy with shock. This was _not_ happening. He tried to grab my arm to calm me down, but I wouldn't let him.

"Don't touch me," I screeched. Seth flinched and held back, clearly hurt.

"Tala, just listen to me, please?" I didn't know what to do. My mind was telling me to run, but my heart wanted to give Seth a chance to explain. Who knows? It could just be coincidental. He waited for me to regain my breath and I slowly dropped to the grainy surface. I made sure Seth was a good six feet away though---just in case.

"Are you that wolf, Seth?" I whispered, not wanting to know the answer. He inhaled slowly before dipping his head slightly.

"How?"

Seth went through the legends about how our ancestors turned into giant wolves in order to fight the Cold Ones. He reminded me of the magic that ran through the tribe's veins—how the blood had been passed down for many generations. Seth elaborated about Ephraim Black, the last chief, along with the story of the yellow-eyed vampires.

I listened attentively in silence. None of this freaking made any sense!

"So you're a…" I choked, not able to finish off the sentence. He was joking. He had to be. My chest was hurting from my rapid breathing.

Seth winced, "Tala, I'm a werewolf." My eyes bulged as he said the magic word and my mouth dropped open. I really wish he was kidding with me, but I'd already seen the proof with my own two eyes.

"Or a shapeshifter," he corrected himself. "We're not completely sure." As if that would make anything better. I slid back another inch, putting more distance between us.

"There are no such things as vampires and werewolves," I told him, almost not believing my own words. I lay back in the sand. There was now a vivid red edging with my vision--but it wasn't from anger.

Seth gazed at me for a few seconds before answering, "The Cullens are those vampires that our great-grandfathers made a treaty with." If I thought I had been thoroughly shocked before, I was completely wrong. Horror and skepticism once again washed over my features. He furrowed his brow. "Well, besides Bella and Nessie. They're new. Nessie didn't mean to scare you, by the way. She just wanted to show you her life story. It didn't even occur to her that we hadn't told you."

Why was he lying to me? I shut my eyes to comprehend everything. "If she's a vampire, why'd she have brown eyes and rosy cheeks? Aren't they supposed to be cold with the same colored eyes as me?"

"She's special," Seth confirmed. "Bella was human when Nessie was born. Vampires can't have children. So, she's half vampire and half-human."

I shuddered. That was so freaking _messed up_. "Wait? What about Bella?" I remembered that picture from Nessie's mind that showed Bella covered in blood. Was that when she was in labor? Oh god, I was getting re-runs of it now.

"Bella married Edward about a year ago and he changed her. Well, after she gave birth to Nessie. Anyway, at first Jake was heartbroken because he had a crush on her, but then he im—got over it."

"That fast?" I caught Seth's slip and wasn't planning to let it go.

Seth just shrugged, "He found something else to make up for it." I shook my head in disbelief--this was all happening to fast. Couldn't he have, oh I don't know, told me in stages? I may like the truth, but usually, it just plain _sucked. _

"So, mythical creatures are real?" I stammered before groaning, "Please don't tell me that faeries and mermaids exist too. I don't think I'd be able to handle it."

Seth laughed for the first time that evening. "Not that_I_ know of. Wait, you don't mind that I morph into a huge wolf?"

I felt like shrinking into the corner. I _did_ mind, but I did not want to hurt Seth's feelings. He was so happy and well, alive. "Seth..." I stuttered, trying to figure out what words to use. "My mom." The playful expression on his face wiped away instantly into one of worry and concern. He walked over and lay down next to me. There was an awkward silence before he started speaking again.

"I didn't understand it at first. I couldn't figure out why you kept shying away from me when I was in my wolf form. Usually people get curious after the initial freak-out. Then, I followed you from the beach and found you near that gravestone." He stopped as if remembering something. "I didn't know you were Sam's cousin."

"Neither did he," I muttered. "I told him earlier. I was sick and tired of my dad being all evasive. I wasn't allowed to tell Sam or anyone because of him. Something about questions." I shrugged--- my senses were on high alert with Seth right next to me. My heart had already started beating erratically. Lovely. He suddenly seemed amused and I realized that he could probably hear it.

How embarrassing.

"So," I said trying to change the subject. "How's being a modern day werewolf?"

"It has its perks. We run a temperature of 108.9, we have super speed, sensitive hearing, and we heal fast. Not to mention we can hear each other's thoughts when we're in our wolf form."

"That's how Leah knew that I was here," I said more to myself than him. It also meant that the La Push boys weren't packing on steroids after all. Good. If he hadn't told me that, I probably would've eventually slipped something in their food to deflate them. Not kidding.

Seth nodded, "Yeah, you gave Sam, Paul, and Jared quite a scare. They didn't know Sue was having any visitors. By the way, I'm sorry about that, Paul's usually pretty calm nowadays." Ha. They might want to work on that lie about more. That wolf had been going nuts.

I moved uncomfortably, "So, it was werewolves that Leah and I saw near the hot spring? No wonder she wasn't worried. More mad than anything."

He grinned, "She phased right after you left and gave them quite a mouthful. That was Ryan, Alex, and Miles. They thought they heard Leah laugh---which by the way is very uncommon---and went snooping. Complete idiots, Sam _told_ them to stay away from you guys."

"Wait, how many of you are there?"

Seth crinkled his forehead, "Umm I think there are about seventeen of us."

What!? "In one pack?"

He shook his head. "There's two---Jake's and Sam's. It used to be one before Jacob broke off. He had Alpha blood, even though with Sam he was Beta. But it usually doesn't get in the way anymore, we just split patrols in half."

Brilliant. My cousin was Alpha. If he thought he could boss me around like he did to his pack, he was dead wrong. Seth flipped onto his stomach, now looking down on me.

"Tala, don't be afraid," he moved a piece of black hair out of my eyes and tucked it behind my ear. Goosebumps ran down my arm as I finally identified the hidden emotion that lay in Seth's expression.

Love.

"Seth, we just met." He paused and stopped guiltily. "Why does it feel like I've known you for so much longer though?" I swear that did not sound as cheesy when I was thinking it. The corners of his mouth began twitching as if he were trying to hold in a smile.

"There's another side effect of being a werewolf. It's called imprinting---almost like gravity. It's when we find our soulmates, our one true love. One look at our other half and the whole world shifts, the sun is no longer the center of our gravity. It's them. They are our everything."

I smiled, it was kind of sweet. "How many have imprinted already?"

"Six. Sam, Jared, Paul, Jacob, Quil,…and me." I looked at him in question. He imprinted? I wondered who his soulmate was. Maybe it was one of the girls I saw back at the house. Jealousy filled me up for a second while I groped for an answer. That's why he didn't want to hurt me.

Seth watched me hesitantly, wondering why I was fidgeting with myself. Ugh, I couldn't help it. I sort of kind of liked this guy and now he was telling me he was practically betrothed to someone else. "So, who is the lucky girl?" I blurted out. He smiled at my expression and scooped me up gently into his lap.

My muscles tensed up. What was he _doing_?

In one fluid movement, he reached his hands down to my face and pulled my mouth up to reach his. I froze for a second, trying to fully register what was happening. And then, I felt myself kiss him back, my lips in sync with his. Seth's were so soft and warm. I began to lean forward, twisting my hands into his inky, black hair. In response, he growled and wrapped his arms around me, caressing my back as he pulled me in closer. Yeah, I was so going to hell for kissing somebody else's soulmate.

"I imprinted on you, Tala Uley." His husky voice caused shivers to go up and down my spine. Stunned, I stopped and saw how his eyes radiated with such love and passion. My stomach was literally doing flips. Uh what did he just say?

"I'm your soulmate?" I squeaked. Either he was lying, or I was dense. I prayed for the latter.

"That's why I was so shocked at the beach yesterday morning. It's not every day you find the person you're meant to be with." He went in for another kiss and I submitted to him gladly. My previous anger and fear had been wiped away and now I was only filled with the want to be near Seth.

He insisted on carrying me back to Emily's, saying that I was in deep need of sleep and that my ankle was probably killing me. It wasn't, but I complied anyway. You would too, believe me. His touch melted butter. Everyone was waiting for us, darting glances from Seth's love struck expression to mine.

"Finally!" Quil shouted. "It's too hard keeping secrets around here." May I point out that they suck at it? At least the part about being inconspicuous? After that lovely outburst, people came up congratulating both of us. I don't know whose was worse, my blushes or Seth's. The extra snide comments from Embry and Jake did not help whatsoever. Seth then carried me into the guest room and laid me on the soft comforter.

"Don't go," I moaned as he headed out to leave. I think he was secretly rejoicing inside. Seth grinned and rested his head next to mine, wrapping his warm arms around me. I sighed happily, breathing in his woodsy smell. I'd never felt like this before, I was practically floating on cloud nine. Snuggling up closer, I drifted off to sleep, my ears ringing with the words, "I love you."

* * *

Loud noises were coming from downstairs. I rolled over, my mind still groggy. The heated conversation could be heard through the floorboards.

"I'm taking her with me, no way am I going to allow Tala amongst you mongrels!" The voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"It's already too late. If I had known earlier, I would have sent you both back immediately. Just let her stay here. Do you want it to happen in the middle of nowhere? May as well let her be with family and friends." Sam bellowed. I stirred and brought the blanket closer, what was all the commotion about? It hurt my ears.

"Family? She has no family here."

"What am I then? A ghost?" Sam was more than pissed---he was probably shaking too by the sounds of it.

"She didn't…what else have I missed?" Who was that? And why were they yelling so early in the morning? I wanted it to go away.

"She'd be with me," Seth's quiet voice rang out, the front door slamming shut. What? He was right there next to me…I looked over my shoulder and found his indented spot on the bed missing. No wonder I was so cold.

"Seth, what do you have to do with any of this?" I must've missed a couple of pieces of the conversation because the next thing I knew that voice was shouting at the top of their lungs.

Everything suddenly went it to focus and I gasped. Now I knew _exactly _who it was.

It was my father.

* * *

**Ahh what will happen next to Tala? She has now officially found out about the mystical world--and imprinting (yes, I decided to let her know now….any more later and she'd flat out reject Seth) Hmm wonder what her father will do. Any guesses?  
If you haven't already figured it out, I update about every 2 days or so. I try to be consistent. Sadly, school is starting up again so the chapters might get a little more spacey. :( Depressing, I know. Homework is def. not my favorite past time, I'd much rather do this. Which reminds me...I still have to do stupid summer reading. Ugh. I haven't even touched the bks. **

**Anyway, please review! Feedback and critiques are always wanted :D **


	10. Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

**Wow, the hundred review mark has officially been passed. I'm pretty much dancing right now, lol. Thanks so much for the feedback, totally makes my day. Ahh started on my second summer reading bk, blame it for the sort of kind of late chapter…and my procrastination. This chapter is pretty harmless…at least for me. Hehe. **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Ten:

* * *

"_Seth, what do you have to do with any of this?" I must've missed a couple of pieces of the conversation because the next thing I knew that voice was shouting at the top of their lungs._

_Everything suddenly went it to focus and I gasped. Now I knew exactly who it was. _

_It was my father._

* * *

I yelped and fell out of bed. Smooth, right? The voices downstairs stopped for a second before beginning again even louder. I quickly covered my ears---my hearing seemed more sensitive than usual. Heavy footsteps darted up the stairs as I rubbed my head in pain. I hadn't pulled off that little stunt since I was twelve and in a bunk bed.

"Tala, are you okay?" Seth sprinted in, clearly worried. He took one long stride and picked me off the ground and rocked me in his arms.

"What's going on Seth?" I whispered frantically. "Why's my dad here? He isn't supposed to come for at least another day."

Seth winced. "Apparently Port Angeles has a mechanic whose skills can even rival Jake's." He gave a slight chuckle, "Man, Jacob is going to be ticked."

I groaned and stared at the ceiling. My dad was going to take me back and there was nothing I could do about it. He was the king of stubbornness. Seth slapped his forehead, "I forgot about your injuries." I raised an eyebrow and squirmed a bit just to see if anything hurt. Nada.

Well that was weird. Maybe I should sleep more often.

"I'm good," I replied lightly. A mystified expression met me before he headed us both downstairs. The yelling had ceased and I heard Sam retort a few words to my dad before completely going silent. It went something like, "If you don't, I'll tell her about..." About what? Jeez. There's more?

Bewildered, I watched my dad turn a shade lighter than a vampire. He pinched the bridge of his nose before greeting me. "Pititchu, we're going home."

Sam downright growled. "No, you're staying with Emily and me."

I let out a fully fledged shout of victory and leapt out of Seth's arms. Sam and he both exchanged perplexed glances while watching me attack my dad in a hug. I knew he was against me staying, but maybe if I showed a little excitement he'd loosen up.

"Is she sick?" My dad asked my cousin after I gave him a tight squeeze.

He shook his head solemnly, "I'm telling you the truth." Sam walked out of the room for a sec and came back with a thermometer. With no forewarning whatsoever, he shoved it into my mouth. I choked before giving him my meanest glare. He smiled impishly and took the plastic out after a few minutes of pure torture. My dad reached out for it and his eyes widened at the results.

I impatiently tapped my foot. "So, am I sick or not?"

He gazed at my cousin in question. Sam threw up his hands, "Girls are faster, I didn't even know about Leah till it was too late."

"Sam…" Seth's voice was edgy and tense. "What are you talking about?"

"Later Seth," my cousin blew him off and I grabbed the thermometer away from my father.

102.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

I felt my forehead. It didn't _seem_ hot---it actually felt cool to my hand. According to my teachers last year, the average temperature of a human was 98.6 degress. I shrugged, the news wasn't earth shattering---I was always a little warmer than the rest as a kid.

"So," I said. "What now?"

"Well," my dad admitted. "That changes everything. I was going to break this to you later, Tala, but my work moved me to Milwaukee."

"Wisconsin?" I blurted out in disbelief. "We're moving to the Badger State?" He tried to smile, but his efforts were futile. "Since when?"

"Since yesterday afternoon," he muttered. "I'm sorry, I already had a school in mind…but I guess you can stay in La Push for a _semester_." He put emphasis on the word, giving Sam that 'look.' I bit my lip, trying to shuffle through my feelings. That part of my brain didn't seem to be doing its job.

"There are a few reservations up there," Sam said as if it would comfort me.

Seth enveloped me in his warm arms. "You're not going anywhere without me," he spoke softly in my ear. Sam shot him a glance while my dad turned from red to puce.

"Get away from my daughter," he hissed. "_Those_ myths aren't true." Seth ignored him and just held me tighter. Apparently he wasn't too worried about impressing his imprint's father. Sam sighed and muttered a few profanities before turning to my father.

"They _are_ true, but whether you believe them or not is your own choice. We'll enroll Tala in the tribal school that the boys go to. It's closest and we can keep an eye on her. Now, for clothes---"

"I don't want Pititchu anywhere near him," my dad pointed at Seth with venom. "I don't care if he's Sue's kid or not. She'll go to the high school in Forks."

Sam stood his ground with an aura of authority that I hadn't seen before. "Tala will go to the high school in La Push, or else." Or else? What was that supposed to mean? The defiant expression on my father's face melted into one of shock.

"You wouldn't…"

My cousin raised his eyebrows in a challenge. "Try me."

Was he threatening my dad? That was a new one. Peter Uley was never overthrown---at least not frequently---especially by his hated brother's offspring. The last time he'd been outmaneuvered was at a parent teacher's conference. Let's just say the whole student body found out about it and I had to kick a few people's asses. Or at least thought about it, anyway. I've never actually taken karate or any other kind of self-defense.

"Dad, maybe I can figure out a little bit more of what happened to Mom," I voiced cheerfully. My dad looked like he was going to be sick.

"No, we already know the full story, Pititchu. Just leave it at that---don't hurt yourself anymore," he was now hoarse and blue. Jeez, I might as well paint an American flag on his face. He'd already gone through all the colors with the lovely addition of puce.

Sam looked curiously at his uncle. The wheels of his mind were definitely turning. More secrets, I concluded. There are even _more_ secrets being kept from me. Why can't it just be left at mythical creatures? Isn't that enough? Nostrils flaring, I let my mind buzz out of control at a hundred miles an hour.

Sam knew something more---maybe even a few things more. I mean, the guy intimidated my dad into letting me stay in La Push. Alone. This top secret information must be important if my very over-protective parent wasn't even putting up a fight to remain on the rez as well. Then, what's up with the whole healing, temperature concept? I was missing a piece of the puzzle, and it irked me to no end. I'd have to do a lot of puppy eyes and pouts…maybe I could get Emily to soften her husband up. Now, that was an idea.

"Hello? Earth to Tala." Seth waved his hand in my face. I bolted up and noticed that my dad had left. "Wha..?" He didn't even say goodbye!

Ok, this was pushing it. What did my cousin say to him while I was off in Never Never Land?

"He left you this," Sam held out a shiny debit card. I could tell he was trying not to smirk. "Good thing you aren't a material person, right?" I snorted and snatched my new heaven. This sort of made up for things. Kind of. My heart was still throbbing a bit from the abandonment though.

"Oh Seth," I said in a sing song voice. "We're going shopping." My warmth disappeared suddenly as the teen backed away in terror. My grin got even wider---perfect.

"What'd I do?" He whimpered, shaking a little. I rolled my eyes and grabbed his granite arm. Pulling was not an option---I wasn't stupid, he was way stronger than me. My face puckered into a pout and I gave him a dose of my tawny eyes, "Please? For me?"

"You're honestly making him go with you," Sam walked over to two of us. "Sucks. Anyway, you can't, Tala. You have a fractured rib and a sprained ankle."

He did _not _just say that. "Be happy that I'm not making _you_go with me, Sam Uley. Also, what's stopping me from going? Do you see any injury?" I lifted up my shirt so he could see my stomach. He didn't look extremely pleased.

"That's beside the point. You can just borrow Em's clothes for one more day."

"Sam, even though you can miraculously get my dad to go, doesn't mean you can order me around." I snapped, eager to leave and drink in my newly found freedom.

"Yet," He whispered under his breath. Ha, in his dreams. Seth's jaw swung open.

"Tala, I need to talk to Sam about pack stuff, can't we just go tomorrow? I _promise_ to be your personal bag holder for as long as you want me."

"That's a huge order to fill, Seth," my amber eyes glinted maliciously. "Do you really want me to take you up on that offer?" The werewolf nodded his head in fake enthusiasm. Whatever, it was his death wish. I trudged up to the guestroom dutifully. Sam and Emily, I learned, had popped the roof so they would have room for their newly expected and high anticipated member of the household. Again, I berated my denseness to realize this before.

"What have you been talking about?" Seth repeated his question again. I internally debated whether to eavesdrop on the pair. Maybe I'd learn some answers…but they would know if I was listening for sure.

Stupid werewolf hearing.

I decided to keep the door open a crack. My brilliant excuse would be that I was making the bed, a chore I rarely ever did. Why make the bed when you were just going to sleep in that night? I could only hear fragments of the conversation, but that was enough to satisfy me for the time being.

"….Leah will be thrilled….won't be held a secret from your pack…." I was way more attuned to my supposed soulmate.

"...try to block and phase less….wish this wasn't happening…"

"….how long do you think considering….imprint…."

I gave up after that---a headache was slowly taking over my ability to think. I hopped down the stairs like a toddler and rushed passed Sam and Seth in order to find some pain killers. There had to be some sort of Asprin around here. Not all of us were invincible mythological creatures.

"You're not going to need those," my cousin crept up behind me.

"And why not?"

"I don't want you medicated for the game." Little sneak, just got around the question. Did he think I was that dense?

"What game?" I asked. Seth came into the homey kitchen, pulling me up into an embrace. I understood why he was suddenly so affectionate, but it still felt sort of weird. Falling in love isn't quite as easy as some may think. Seth may unconditionally and erratically have feelings for me, however, I can't say the same. Okay, that was a downright lie. I blushed at the thought of yesterday's events. I had been so caught up in the moment that I'd forgiven him for introducing me to a world that I didn't want to be a part of. I honestly did not want to know that immortal beings walked the earth---some responsible for killing a quarter of the human race.

I suppose that wasn't really an option now.

"Soccer game. The guys are already waiting for us on the beach. You going to play with me?" Seth tried to copy my expertise acting skills. I laughed and shook my head. "Can't, thanks to my _nonexistent_," I glowered at my cousin, "injuries from the cliff diving. Blame Sam." Seth punched the Alpha lightly giving him a look of pure exasperation. Sam decided to act like a statue. That boy really needed to loosen up. We then walked down to First Beach hand and hand like lovebirds. It must've triggered my cousin because he suddenly excused himself to go wake up Emily. Somehow, she was amazingly asleep during the whole fight. Pregnancy must be taking a toll on her.

* * *

Jared laid down the rules.

"Two things. One, we have ladies playing, so take it easy. No more hospital visits to the leech." Paul looked guiltily in my direction. Kim coughed loudly and Jared added, "Also, no tantrums if you get slapped." A few of the guys sniggered. "And two, try not to kill the ball, guys. If you do, you're paying." Everyone groaned.

"Let's get started," Jacob hollered and the game began. Rachel Black filled in for Emily as referee and had to break up at least five fights before the second half.

Fouls were even more popular than the actual scoring.

I scanned the playing field. Kim, Leah, Eden, and another girl were mid-fielders. Seth took up goalie while Sam was acting as defender.

"That was so a goal!" Paul roared at Quil. They both began shaking, not stopping until their Alphas split them apart. It was so weird having two packs in La Push. I guess they only handled it because Jacob was often away with Nessie. If it were me, I would probably be the instigator for a lot of fights. Not on purpose, of course.

During a five minute break, all the werewolves ran into the ocean and then came back to terrorize the spectators. Seth sauntered up to me, grinning smugly. I lifted a brow before even clueing in that his hands were slowly snaring around my waist. Then, in a blindingly fast move, he pulled me off my feet and kissed me fully on the lips. In that moment, nothing mattered more than the boy in front of me. I leaned in and deepened it, wanting nothing more than to do this for the rest of my days.

Rachel had to blow that shrilly whistle in order to split us up.

My cheeks reddened and I sat back down on the ground near a glowing Emily to watch the rest of the game. What the hell was wrong with me? Where did _that _come from? I never ever (times that by a bajillion) did that. And in public too. Emily must've seen my expression because she gave me a knowing smile.

"It's hard to resist, even if you want too," she said, her smile widening further. "Believe me, I've tried."

"What happened?" I asked, knowing full well how a strong woman like Emily could have succumbed to that passion. It was irresistible.

"I fell even harder," she replied with a wink.

The game ended in a tie thanks to the score keeper, Claire. Her exact words had been, "Da boh win." The guys just kept shoving and tackling each other in the dirt. It was so light-hearted and brotherly, I nearly grinned despite myself.

When getting up to help Emily make a late brunch (okay, more like _supervise_), I realized that I no longer felt like a complete outsider.

I felt a part of the family.

* * *

**Ahh I was nice, no cliffies this time around. Lol. Hopefully my next update will be up in the next few days, but no promises. Stupid school starts soon…ugh kill me now. Ahh am I the only person who is glad to see Tala's dad go? We'll find out exactly what happened to him when I get the chance to write Seth's POV. That'll be fun. Maybe it will be after next chapter…who knows? **

**Anyway, please review! Feedback and critiques are always wanted :D**


	11. Ode to Shopaholics and the Poor Bag Boys

**The torture has officially begun--which is why this update is so late. I've been weighed down with homework, already. Evil teachers, do they actually **_**like **_**grading? Oh well, I suppose the only good thing that came out of the waiting period was that I got a ton of ideas and a better clue of what I am doing! Yay! Thanks so much for all the reviews! The feedback does not go wasted. I love reading what you guys think about my writing. **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Eleven:

* * *

_The game ended in a tie thanks to the score keeper, Claire. Her exact words had been, "Da boh win." The guys just kept shoving and tackling each other in the dirt. It was so light-hearted and brotherly, I nearly grinned despite myself._

_When getting up to help Emily make a late brunch (okay, more like supervise), I realized that I no longer felt like a complete outsider._

_I felt a part of the family._

* * *

"You promised!" My hands were on my hips and I was shaking with laughter. Seth was slowly backing up, trying to find a way out. Like that was going to happen. "Nobody's here," I scoffed, the corners of my mouth curling up into an evil smile. It was the next day and I _was_ going to go shopping. And Seth was going with me no matter what.

"Why can't you just get Leah or someone to go with you? I'm sure Emily or Kim would be thrilled to get out of La Push." He moaned. I rolled my eyes. Boys can be so melodramatic.

"Seth, don't you listen at all? Leah, Emily, and Kim _are_ going. And you're going to be the bag boy."

"But…," Seth brightened as an idea dawned on him. "Alice can go! She's just as strong and can look after you guys."

"You don't want to protect me?" My bottom lip jutted out and my amber eyes went on full puppy mode. I tried to sound as pathetic as possible. Seth shifted from foot to foot, his unwavering confidence dimming. Pure victory.

"Fine, Tala. You win." I grinned and jumped to hug him. He caught me and held me in his warm arms for a second more than was needed. "It was fixed the moment those stupid words came out of my mouth," Seth muttered angrily to himself.

We both knew that I would win in the end.

"So who's Alice?"

Seth hit himself on the head, "She's Edward's sister---well adopted sister. I don't really know. Anyway, she's a shopaholic. I'm sure she'd love to meet you!"

I closed my eyes and tried to recall Nessie's memories. Alice must have been that black-haired vampire that was throwing clothes everywhere. No way was I going with a vampire. I didn't know where I stood on that particular issue, but it was way too early to decide. I'd barely just accepted Seth's special genetics. True, drinking human blood wasn't exactly at the top of the Cullens' to-do list for the day, but still, did I really want to risk it?

"I don't know, Seth."

"Tala, you were perfectly fine with Dr. Cullen and Edward's family."

"Before I knew they were blood-sucking leeches!" I retorted back, instantly wanting to eat up my words when I saw his hurt expression. I ticked off a point on my goodness scale.

"Don't listen to Sam, Leah, or the others." Seth said as if he'd repeated this speech numerous times before, "They're our _friends_. Believe me when I say they're not going to hurt you."

"I just don't think I'm ready."

"Tala, Alice is harmless. She's not going to eat you," Seth smirked at his little joke. I couldn't help but crack a smile. It was hard to be depressed around the werewolf…or shapeshifter.

"How do you know that I'm going to be safe?" My chin rose defiantly in the air. He took it and stared me in the eyes.

"'Cause I'm going to be there. I would never let anyone hurt you, Tal. Anyway, your scent isn't as heavenly to them as it is to me."

"Says who?" I snapped, blushing furiously.

"Says logic…and my awesome instincts." Tapping my foot, I waited for him to explain. "Werewolves naturally smell bad to vampires, same in reverse. Their scent is almost sickly sweet----I don't know what it's like for them though. You've been around us for the past few days, so to Alice, you'll for one be a mind block and two, your blood most likely won't be as tempting with our 'stench' tainting it. "

I giggled as he used air quotes. "I think you smell fine. Then again, I'm just an average human, nothing special." Seth's chocolate eyes seemed pained at my last few words, but he managed to strike a grin. But it was strained---I side-glanced at him in question. "So…what do you mean by mind block?"

His shoulders relaxed a bit. "Oh, some vampires have special powers. Alice can see the future---except when you're with us---Edward can read minds, Jasper manipulates emotions, Bella can block, and you've already experienced what Nessie can do."

Edward a mind reader? I laughed, I had figured that one out at the hospital. Alice had a pretty cool gift too. It was a shame that it didn't work around the boys.

"You distracted me!" I accused him as he tried dousing the snickering that was coming out of his mouth. "I still don't know about having a vampire around."

Seth shrugged. "We'll compromise. I'll be bag boy if you invite Alice."

"Who said this was open for discussion?" I did not want to carry my bags around the mall---but Seth wouldn't go if I didn't have Alice go. Ugh, too many decisions. I bit my lip. My will was crumbling, and Seth knew it.

Stupid werewolf.

"Fine," I replied, defeated. Seth grabbed me and pecked my cheek with a kiss. Oh, well. At least I got something out of it.

* * *

Before I knew it, Alice, Emily, Leah, Seth, and me were piled high in a canary yellow Porsche 911 Turbo. Kim had to cancel due to a date with Jared.

"Oh my gosh, we have to go to this little shop in Seattle---" Alice was yapping a million words a minute, way too fast for me to comprehend. I nodded, obviously lost. Emily was in the same boat. Leah just stared out the window while Seth began a new topic. He had warned me before that Leah did not have much love for the Cullens. I could sympathize, but not on the same level. I wondered why she had even agreed to coming if Alice was here. I would've downright refused.

Another mystery to add to the list.

A faint sugary stench lingered in the car. My stomach knotted, and I tried not to gag. What did Alice use as air freshener? Seth was rubbing circles in my back trying to make me relax.

I soon learned that the black haired vampire adored shopping, like Seth had said earlier, more than anything. Well besides Jasper--her husband--and the rest of the Cullen family. We got to Seattle in no time at all---Alice was a maniac on the road. Emily was green as we both stumbled towards the solid ground. Sam was going to kill me when we got home. I was now extremely thankful that Seth's bulkiness blocked out most of the window.

Speed was good only to an extent.

Nothing prepared me for what I endured next. Eight flat hours of pure shopping. At the end, my feet were aching and I was brain dead. Not. Kidding. Alice had officially found the perfect torturing device for me---trying on lingerie for, I quote, fun. To make matters worse, she wouldn't even let us buy half the clothes with our own money. According to Leah, she was loaded.

Now, they all had run---or shuffled in Emily's case---off into opposite directions trying to give Seth and me space. I sighed. All I knew was that if I saw one more skirt or purse I would scream. Seth wasn't any better off. I could hardly see his face because of all the bags he had to hold.

Oops.

"This better not get any worse when you're my mate," he grumbled half-heartedly. I stopped dead in my tracks, "Mates? Who even said that I love you?"

He clutched his chest in mock horror before smiling. "You'll grow to love me."

"Cocky, aren't we." I raised a brow. "What's making you so confident?"

Seth's smug, little smile grew so much that I thought it was going to fall off his face." It's in your DNA. I'm the perfect partner---your ideal _mate_. We were made for each other."

I swallowed back a smart-ass comment and stared into those deep brown eyes of his. He moved in closer, but I held my ground. I would not be allured just because of a werewolf trait. He was going to have to get me to fall in love with him. Whoever said that I was going to be _easy_?

I got up on my tippy toes and whispered into Seth's ear, "You're going to have to make me."

He was speechless for a few uncomfortable seconds trying to process the information. "A challenge then," he replied with a note of finality. "I'm game."

A bell-like laugh sounded from behind me and I found myself face to face with Emily. "All he has to do is kiss you, Tala. You'll melt like butter."

"Yeah, well hopefully he won't _cheat_," I emphasized doing a one eighty to make sure Seth heard me. There was that same, big puppy grin plastered on his face again. I sighed and shook my head smiling. People were right. He was such a happy-go-lucky sort of guy.

"Good luck with that," Emily responded with as much skepticism as she could muster.

"She'll crash and burn," Alice came up with four more shopping bags. "I've seen things."

"Thanks for the moral support, guys," I shook my head. "Y'all are such great friends."

"I was wondering when that Texan slang would come in," Leah mocked, shoving at least six bags into Seth's hands.

"It flows better. Are we finally done?" I whined, starting to creep towards the entrance. I wanted out. I was starting to get claustrophobic.

"Whoa there, cowgirl. You need a bathing suit," Leah tugged my arm and pulled me towards her. I staggered before balancing myself. Seth moved to help, but the big pile of bags hooked around his arms stopped him.

"Leah, it's like 50 degrees outside! I highly doubt that I'll be swimming anytime soon."

"I'll get it!" Alice volunteered. "I already know which one you will pick anyway." How nice. "Leah, I need help on the color, you know Tala better than me." Technically, she has only known me for like three days, but I guess that didn't really matter to Alice. I wasn't even sure the topic of our favorite colors has even come up yet. It wasn't really Leah's thing if you catch my drift. The pixie grabbed the girl's hand and raced off with a confused looking Clearwater. Somebody was going to be pissed later that a leech touched her.

"Hey, I'm going to put the bags in the car. Will you and Em be okay alone for a few minutes?" Seth gazed at me in concern. I nodded and Emily imitated me. You could tell he was reluctant and this was the last thing that he wanted to do. It's not like we could get raped and murdered in the middle of mall. Killing is a bit more discreet than that.

"Seth, we're not going to die. We'll be in the food court." I reassured him. "Who knows? Maybe I'll get some food to reward you for being an awesome bag boy." Food was the magic word. That boy ran off faster than the speed of light. Sam's wife just giggled and waddled toward the different fast food places. She had been resting in a reclining massage chair for the most of the day not wanting to overdue anything that might hurt the baby.

I started to follow her before tripping over my own two feet at the sight that I encountered next.

"What are you doing here?" I spluttered. "I thought you left!"

It was Peter Uley. He looked as if he got caught red-handed with his hand in the cookie jar. Guilt soon was replaced by bewilderment. My dad was now scanning me as if I had gone mental.

"And leave you here with a bunch of mutts, Pititchu? What kind of father would I be?" Was he seriously asking me that question?

"Does Sam know?"

You know in how they have crickets chirping and running water to stress a deadened silence? Well, if there would be a time for that, it would be now. Why couldn't Alice at least have warned me?

"Nope, I tricked him into thinking I left." He replied finally. My father acted like an impish teen--he was so proud of himself. I rolled my eyes.

"So what's your plan now?" I asked while thinking of all the ways to get out the situation. How would he plan to kidnap me this time? He'd probably just drag me to the SUV and threaten me to not escape. Or maybe Dad would take away my nonexistent allowance again. Now that would be entertaining.

I wouldn't be allowed back in the rez till I was twenty at this rate.

"We're moving here." Wait, what? I dropped my purse. Was he serious? This had to be a joke. La Push was the last place he'd ever want to stay at.

"Huh?!" My response seemed to be exactly what he expected because he put his hand over my shoulders and guided me towards the table Emily was sitting at.

"It's for the best. We'll need all the help and support we can get."

"What the hell are you even talking about? Why do we need support? For what?"  
He was drunk. He had to be. There was no other explanation for my father's unbelievable behavior.

"Language, Pititchu." He sharply replied. "It doesn't matter about _why_ right now. Just accept it. Didn't you _want_ to live here? I'm risking everything for you."

Risking what? His sanity?

"Yes, but---" He cut me off.

"I had to leave yesterday to make sure that there was a branch of my business in Port Angeles. I left the debit card so you could get some clothes. The ones from Texas are too light. Did my insolent nephew give it to you?"

I nodded, still in a complete shock. He kept on talking, "Okay, well I already enrolled you in the high school, and we have a house a few blocks away from the Clearwaters." He took a deep breath. How he accomplished this in a day was beyond me. "Speaking of which, I forbid you to see Sue's boy."

That did it.

"You're not in charge of my love life, Dad." I spat. My protective mode automatically went on when involving Seth. I didn't know if I loved him or not, but I was not going to let my dad try to belittle him. "Don't you want me to be happy?"

"Yes, Pititchu, which is why we are going to be living here. La Push certainly doesn't have much love for me." What was that supposed to imply?

"You must be Sam's long lost uncle," Emily interrupted, shaking my dad's hand. They began some small talk while I tried getting a hold of myself. We were moving to La Push. I was going to go to high school there. And apparently, we now needed 'help and support'---whatever that meant. Oh, and to top that off, this was all a sacrifice on my dad's part. He was not wanted at the rez. Did I mention that I hated being left in the dark?

My life had gone to the dogs.

"Why're you wearing that?" someone snorted behind me. I turned and saw Seth's bemused expression directed at my neck. I looked down and realized he was talking about my cross.

"Just in case," I mumbled, the blood rushing towards my cheeks. Dammit, why was I acting like a middle school girl with a crush?

"You know that it's bad luck to be superstitious, right?" He said matter-of-factly.

"What's your point?"

He rolled his eyes and stiffened at the sight at my father. "What's _he_ doing here?" How was I going to put this to him? _'Umm…good news! I'm going to move here instead of Milwaukee.' _I could either blurt it out or bre---

"Seth Clearwater." Yikes, too late. Dad saw him.

"Yes, sir?" Seth asked politely, his eyes piercing right into my dad's darker ones.

"What are you doing here?" My father barked at him. I moaned and interfered before he tried to bite his head off. "Seth was helping us hold the bags."

"You and Emily's?"

I shook my head, "Alice's and Leah's too. I don't know where they went…." I glanced around. The mall was crowded enough, but none of the faces were familiar.

"Here! It's nice to meet you, Mr. Uley," Alice piped up, five shopping bags in each hand. How did that pixie even know my last name? Leah walked up beside her and gave my father a scowl. He took a step back from Alice in alarm, immediately identifying her as a vampire. _Join the club, Dad_. I thought bitterly.

"Nice to meet you Ms…."

"Cullen," the vampire supplied with a tiny bounce. Seth was now breathing down my neck and I shuddered.

"Cheater," I whispered, narrowing my eyes.

"All's fair in love and war," was his witty reply. I wracked my brains for a good comeback. Grinning, I twisted my body towards Seth and laid my cheek against his burning chest. If I wasn't planning this, I would be in total hyperventilation mode right now. The warmth felt so good against my cool skin. Then, just for effect, I let my fingers draw lines and shapes on his stomach. In reality, it wasn't much, but when I glanced up to see Seth's face, I nearly yelped. His eyes were filled with such love and passion that I felt that maybe I had overdone it.

Just a tad.

I withdrew quickly and saw that the conversation of Alice's that had been distracting my father for a few minutes was over. One point for the vamp. I'd have to thank her later for that.

* * *

We all drove back to the house in near silence. My dad went in his car while the rest of us went back in Alice's Porsche. Seth held me close while Leah just kept to herself once again. Emily had fallen asleep in the shotgun seat. Alice was unusually quiet---maybe she wasn't feeling well. Did vampires even get sick? I would have to ask Seth about that later. I was deep in my thoughts trying to untangle the mass of lies I had been given over the past few days.

So far I'd come up with nothing.

Sometimes I wish I was as clever as Nancy Drew when it came to solving mysteries--that would make my life a whole hell of a lot easier. Why'd she have to get the sweet sleuthing skills, dammit? Sam picked us up at the border---apparently Alice wasn't allowed over due to the treaty I'd been informed about earlier. It took about three loads to get all the shopping bags in Sam's rusty Ford. When we got to their cozy, little cottage, he cradled his sleeping wife and put her in their bedroom.

Then he confronted the rest of us.

"Why do you guys look like you just went to a funeral? Shopping couldn't have been _that_ bad."

"Speak for yourself," Seth complained. Leah smirked and went over to the bags and tried organizing some of the clutter. Sam watched me as I huffed and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie from a heart-shaped plate.

"My dad never left. He's here right now in La Push." I finally coughed out after eating my desert in one bite. I wish I could say Sam took it well. Instead he snarled--- furious. "Is he trying for suicide?"

Sheesh, and I thought_ I _had problems.

"He's letting me stay," I told my cousin quickly before any out of control phasing happened. Emily would be pissed if one of her sofas exploded in feathers. The shaking subsided and he waited for me to continue. "I ran into him at the mall. He told me that he changed his mind and that we both are moving to the rez. I think he's planning on working in Port Angeles."

"What?" Sam pinched the bridge of his nose (something that seemed to be becoming a common Uley male trait). "He's seriously asking for it. Is he a masochist?" Without waiting for an answer, he paced the room and stopped, chuckling. "Well, let me be the first then to officially welcome you to La Push---as a resident."

I beamed back at the bipolar (at least in my opinion) Alpha and went to help Leah with the clothes. Crisis averted. Seth and Sam sprawled themselves in the living room flipping through the channels.

"Where is she?" A familiar voice roared, the front door banged open. I think I spoke too soon. Dad overreacted way too much--such a drama queen. He had to _always_ make such an entrance.

"Here," I shouted, holding up a cute blue dress, not even looking in the right direction. Sam got up and met my dad while he was still in the entry way. A lot of fierce whispering went on (what's new?) and soon Seth and Leah joined them. Fine, be that way. I was going to have my own little party over here in the corner. I blocked the group out for a couple of minutes, waiting to be invited to their little chat, before losing all patience and heading out the back door.

The sky was gray and overcast. A storm was coming---I could already hear the thunder rumbling in the background. I trudged through the thick, green grass of my cousin's backyard until I reached the edge of the forest.

Was it safe?

I looked around making sure the coast was clear. All I needed was to think. I set out for the heart of the trees, kicking pine cones and picking wildflowers.

As I entered a clearing, I started feeling a little antsy. How long had I been out? Ah, whatever. Hopefully I could find my way back later. I plopped myself on the grass and lay on my back. Rain drops splattered on my face as I tried miserably to catch them with my tongue. I missed my mom. La Push reminded me too much of her. I remembered all the times when she took me out to the river, or when we played hide-and-seek behind the mighty oaks.

They're not kidding when they said childhood goes too fast.

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. A strange scent wafted towards my nose. It was almost identical to the one in Alice's car.

Strange. I was pretty sure Alice's air freshener had been artificial. Something tugged at the pit of my stomach and the hairs on my back rose. My hands involuntarily clenched as I felt my nails dig deeper into my skin. Not good.

_It's just one of the wolves_, I tried reassuring myself. _They're just messing around with you._

But I had a feeling it was something much worse. Only one way to find out.

Suddenly, the world came into focus and I gasped.

I was staring right into the hungry, bright red eyes of a vampire.

* * *

**Lol, back to the cliffies. Yes, I know, we all thought Tala's dad went away. But really? Did you actually think he'd leave his daughter alone? My parents wouldn't even be that cool. I realized when I was thinking up some major drama for chapters to come that he really is more of a main character. I mean, he has soo many mysteries. If you want, try to see if you can guess the many secrets of Peter Uley. He has a few…and they all link. If you get it right (and if you do I'll be beyond amazed) you get TWO Seth hugs…yay! I made this chapter almost two thousand words longer than my usual because you guys waited so patiently and gave me some sweet feedback. I hoped you liked it! Hopefully, my next update won't be long after—but I can't promise anything. Motivation helps for sure though. **

**Anyway, review! ;D**

It has just come to my attention that Alice's car can't hold more than two people. Let's just say she had it remodeled...hehe.


	12. You ARE Going to Hurt Me, Leech

**Oh my gosh, my brain is officially fried. One of my teachers gave us one day to complete a paper, due today at midnight. Who does homework on FRI? Ahh, the weekend has FINALLY arrived. I was trying to write this chapter during the week but had absolutely no time. School is serious torture, the only thing good about it is seeing friends etc. Sorry for the wait, believe me; I'm mad that this update wasn't up sooner because you guys are the **_**best**_**! Thanks so much for all the feedback! **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Twelve:

* * *

_It's just one of the wolves, I tried reassuring myself. They're just messing around with you._

_But I had a feeling it was something much worse. Only one way to find out._

_Suddenly, the world came into focus and I gasped._

_I was staring right into the hungry, bright red eyes of a vampire._

* * *

There was a certain frenzy in the sandy haired leech's stance---it was almost as if he was trying to resist. Fat chance. In less than seconds, the vibrant ruby shade of his orbs pulsed and quickly reverted to an inky black.

Yep, I was going to die. It was as simple as that.

"I won't hurt you," he said in his smooth, velvety voice. His rangy build loomed in closer and I stifled a shriek. What a liar. He was planning on sucking my goddamn blood out---if that didn't cause pain, I didn't know what did anymore. I whimpered and scooted back, trying to get away from him. Spots were dotting my vision and I suddenly felt really light-headed and dizzy. My stomach clenched like it was filled with weights.

This really was the end.

"You smell so good." Yeah, that definitely _not_ the type of compliment I was looking for. The inhumanly beautiful monster came up from behind in one graceful movement, sniffing me like I was food---which I guess I was at that point. "It would be so much better if that mongrel scent wasn't covering you though."

All the oxygen left my head and I tried going through some last words. Again. My brain was, of course, barely able to function. Of all times, it let's up on me _now_. I seriously think it programs itself to shut down when I'm in traumatic situations. I wish I was kidding. Ugh, where were Seth and the others when you needed them? My breathing sped up and I was losing ground fast---the world began tipping and I coughed hoping to clear my sight.

This couldn't be happening.

"No mad scrambling? No begging? That's new. It'll just make my job a bit easier." He purred with an amused expression. Great, I _amused _it. What does it expect me to do? Karate chop it?

"You touch me and you'll regret it," I hissed back with as much confidence as I could muster. No way in hell was I going to leave this life without a fight. I tried to remain calm and in control, but that plan left as soon as it entered my mind.

"It speaks," the pale vampire grinned. His smile dropped when a thought occurred to him, "Kate's going to kill me." I almost laughed (my emotions were way out of wack). He seemed scared of this woman. I crept away slowly, maybe he wouldn't notice.

"Not so fast." The bloodsucker grabbed me by the arm and pulled. That was going to bruise later---if there even was a later. I winced at the pain and my nose scrunched at the putrid perfume wafting from him. Did Alice spray him with her vile air freshener too? Something clicked and I realized he must be that vampire who Edward mentioned at the hospital. "I haven't scented a smell like yours in decades." He continued, his stance was shifting into cat-like crouch.

"Aren't you supposed to be abstaining from human blood?" I glared at him---my eyes golden slits. The leech seemed surprised at my question, doing a double-take at my ashen face. Then, he explained almost patiently to me, "I am, but yours is absolutely ambrosial and mouth-watering, even with the stench tainting it. It's something I can't pass up."

"Great," I mumbled bitterly. "Glad to be such a service to you." Why wasn't I dead and cold already? Aren't vampires not supposed to have consciences? The bloodsucker rocked back and forth on his heels, as if suffering from an inner turmoil.

With a note on finality, he reassured himself out loud, "I'm sure she'll forgive me." The man then licked his lips in anticipation, causing a shiver go down my spine. He was now the hunter.

And I was his prey.

Right when he was about to bite me on my exposed neck, an ear-piercing scream suddenly sounded from my mouth. My brain _finally _decided to work. The vampire jolted and then squeezed my shoulder so tightly that I quickly shut up. Long awaited tears began clouding my vision even more as my impending doom drew closer.

"Garrett!" A tawny-irised female with straight silvery blond hair dashed in front of me at lightning speed and slapped his hand back. He growled in irritation, obviously not wanting his hunt to be disturbed.

"Move." He ordered. She shook her head and kept guarding me, not the least bit fazed that she was up against a blood-thirsty vampire.

Garrett then made the mistake of pushing her. On contact with her milky white skin, his knees suddenly buckled and he keeled backwards---soon all I could see were the whites of his eyes.

I gasped loudly and choked. What the hell did she just do?

The woman turned to me with an apologetic expression and offered her hand so that she could pull me up. Right, like I wanted to get fried like what's his face just did. I refused. I didn't trust any of them. The leech soon regained his composure and jabbed his finger at me rudely.

"Dammit, Kate. Just this one! I've been on your special diet for so long that I can't even recall what it feels like to have human blood in me."

"You've broken the treaty!" Kate gritted her teeth. Saying she was angry was just a mild way of putting it. She was ready to raise hell. "The Cullens are going to _die_ because of you! The pack outnumbers us by more than ten. Did you really think that those dogswould be oblivious to your little trip here?"

"Exactly." Garrett pointed out. "Nobody would have noticed if this little one went missing. They're too busy fighting the others like red coats." He rolled his dark eyes in annoyance still trying to inch his way towards me.

I was speechless---no words could break through the block in my mind. I suppose the right term for this would be _shock_.

The woman fiercely glowered at him with such menace that it actually made me cringe. The pair then paused for a second, as if listening to something, and went into automatic protective stances. Ferocious growling ripped through the air and a gigantic wolf pounced into the clearing, snarling at the leeches. I recoiled at the sight of the beast before I registered who it was.

Seth.

Prickles of relief flowed through me and everything soon became a hazy blur. It was as if my brain had let up only when it knew I was safe.

"You've got to be kidding me," Kate muttered under her breath. She shot Garrett a look before beginning her protests to my soulmate. I couldn't hear a thing. I was falling too fast.

A deafening, buzzing sound filled my ears and my eyelids drooped.

Then all went still.

* * *

_I was walking into what appeared to be the dark forests of La Push. Not a breathing soul lay in my path. Anxiety guzzled into me like a pump as I realized I was the only one here. _

"_All alone," a voice cruelly laughed. I nearly jumped out of my skin. Garrett was staring at me with his intense blood-red eyes. "No one to save you now," he whispered into my ear, his sickly sweet scent drowning me. I shook my head at him and started running, but no matter how fast I was he was always there right in front of me. _

"_No little werewolves to protect you," he grinned maniacally as he clawed my wrist. I screeched. The liquid gushed out of the wound and my stomach churned. I glanced fearfully at the leech in front of me knowing any minute he was going to suck me dry._

_But he wasn't there anymore---in Garrett's place was a huge wolf with black eyes, gazing at me hungrily. _

_A broken body suddenly was thrown from nowhere right in front of the beast. I screamed hell. _

_It was my mother. _

_Her dark copper skin was splattered with blood and her arms and legs were mangled in such sickening directions that it made her almost unrecognizable. A fresh cry caught in my throat as the wolf rounded on me, ready to attack. My legs were shaking uncontrollably as the animal unexpectedly bent down and turned my mom's head so that I was looking right into her face. _

_Her vacant, glazed eyes stared right back at me. _

* * *

"Tala! Tala, wake up! Tala!" A voice shouted in the distance. I ignored it, my mother's mauled body was permanently ingrained in my head. The wolf roared, charging me, and I felt a coldness douse me. Oh crap. The vampire returned---my life officially was over.

"Tala, it was just a dream." The same voice reassured me, trying to shake me awake. I shook my head and forced myself out of the nightmare. Seth's concerned face filled my view and I immediately jumped into his arms, holding his body tight.

"The vampire…he…it….my mom," I hiccupped, sobbing uncontrollably now. I hadn't had that dream about my mom since I was eleven. It had plagued my nights for months and my dad had to send me to a psychiatrist.

All I wanted now was to dispel that image from all memory.

"Tala, it's okay, I'm here," my savior reassured me, stroking me hair. I calmed down after ten minutes and my cheeks flushed. This was the closest I'd gotten to Seth the whole week. With that new knowledge, I looked down, away from his confused, chocolate brown orbs.

"Why am I covered with water?" My clothes were wet, clinging to my figure in an unappealing way. So that's where the coldness came from…

"It was just to get you to snap out of it. Do you want to talk about it?" He murmured as he rested his cheek on my head. I shivered from emotion and remained silent. No, talking was the _last _thing I wanted to do right now.

"Tal, it might help," Seth prodded. My mouth opened without my consent and informed him, "It's nothing new. I just had a nightmare about my mom again."

"And a vampire and a wolf," he added. The bewildered expression that I now held made him chuckle. "You were screaming bloody murder in here. I'd be surprised if someone in this house _didn't_ hear you." I buried my face in his chest from embarrassment much to Seth's content. I swear, if that boy had a tail in his human form it would be thumping right now.

A silence fell upon us as I tried to regain my breath.

"I was at my aunt's house when it happened," I spoke softly, barely audible. I guess I needed to tell someone. It probably was the only way I was going to get over the dream. "My dad and mom went on a camping trip to celebrate their eighth anniversary---my dad was a big nature buff back then. When I came back from school the third day they were gone, my aunt was crying at the kitchen table staring at a newspaper article in the news section. She told me that my mom had passed away and that my dad was busy handling things. I refused to go to school at all that week. I shut myself in the guest room and wouldn't come out, even for meals. My aunt had to literally force feed me to make sure I didn't starve."

Seth hugged me closer to him, and I gave off a sad smile. "Everyone thinks that little kids are too young and naive to understand death. But I understood perfectly, and I was just seven. Dad came back later and told me that we were going to Texas. To get away was his excuse. I figured at the time he was just caught up in all the events and we'd move back after a few months. But I was wrong---every time I brought this place up, he'd snap. You have no idea how surprised I was when he declared after nine years that we were coming back."

"I'm glad you did," Seth told me, his voice sincere. I was suddenly hit again with an unidentifiable sensation.

I blame hormones.

He placed me down on the bed and cradled me as if I were a baby. I snuggled and breathed in his earthy scent, officially calm. "What happened after…?" I stuttered, trying to remember the last thing before I blanked out.

"Kate explained to me that you were _il suo cantante, _even with you already tr--" he stopped abruptly for a second then continued. "Anyway, after that I alerted the packs and took you here to Em's." What the heck did that gibberish mean? Il suo huh?

"What's an _il suo…_whatever you just said?"

Seth took my hand and began rubbing circles while he worded his next phrase carefully, "You're his singer---your blood sings to him. Just like Bella was to Edward. The only reasons he didn't attack you immediately were because of Kate and also because of the fact that you were covered with the shapeshifter smell. It made you a little less…umm… appetizing."

"Just my luck," I grumbled. "Please tell me that they both left."

"Like we'd let them stay here," he snorted. "They broke the treaty since they were under the Cullen's care. The Cullens should've known better."

"Aren't you supposed to be on _their_ side?" I noted as my eyebrow rose. This was the closest Seth's every gotten to mutiny and disloyalty when talking about his favorite vampires.

"Before it didn't involve my mate."

Here goes _that_ talk again. I huffed, "For the billionth time, we aren't mates. We aren't even in love!"

He gave me that irresistible goofy grin and used Jacob's favorite catch phrase, "Sure, sure."

I rolled my amber eyes and continued, "Anyway, we're still in high school. And for your information, the word is wife—at least for _normal_ human beings."

"Yeah, but last time I checked, the word for wolves was mate. And we—I mean I'm half wolf." Were Freudian slips popular nowadays? I pondered this while he warned me.

"Sam is furious at Jacob for what happened yesterday. Jake's defending them because of Nessie, but Sam wants the Cullens out---Garrett had already killed two hikers in Forks before he reached you. And now just to top that off, both packs know what Sam and I've been hiding from them the past few days---we'd been trying to not phase on purpose."

"What have you been hiding from them?" I laughed. "My life's not that interesting."

Seth shook his head, "You just keep thinking that. We kept the whole cousin thing downwind, but now everyone knows about---"

I cut him off with a hand gesture and lifted myself out of his embrace. "The challenge is back on," I enlightened him. "If I stayed like that any longer I'd be a human popsicle."

He took on the look of a vulnerable puppy, opening his arms back up for me. I shook my head, opened the door, and went downstairs. Unlike some people (cough leech cough) _I _could resist temptation. Sometimes. I soon felt his warm presence behind me as I entered the living room.

"Pititchu!" My dad rushed up to me in an embrace. "Do you understand why I didn't want to come back here? There are monsters walking around in broad daylight, and---"

"You'll be eating your words soon, old man," Quil said from the couch. Jared grunted in agreement as they both used their controllers like weapons.

Idiots.

"Where's Embry?" Paul walked through the front door. "I told him to meet us here but he refuses to come while Tala's d---" He stopped dead when he noticed everyone standing in front of him. "Forget I said anything," and with that he went to raid the fridge. Typical La Push boy.

Sam sauntered out from the hallway, smiling when he saw me. "I see you're up and about. You better now? You looked like a goner when Seth brought you in." I gave off a shrug. In my defense, it was my brain's fault---_I_ had been prepared to tough it out.

"Don't remind me," my dad snapped, glaring at his nephew. What was eating him? Sam ignored him and marched to the kitchen to throw Paul out of the food. Literally. A crash was heard and pots rained down on the linoleum tile. Two blurs then raced past me, phasing into wolves outside.

What was depressing was that I didn't even bat an eye.

Seth tried making sure that none of the metal hit me. Like that was even possible----I was on the other side of the room. Overprotective werewolves.

"Seth," Dad started. "Could you please let my daughter and I talk for a second? _Alone_." I had to shoo him off to go join the others. Seriously, it wasn't as if my dad was going to murder me with the kitchen knives. Wait, on second thought, maybe I should've let him stay.

"We're moving into the house next week, the furniture movers should get here by late Tuesday. I bought some necessities while you were out. I don't want Emily to put up with you for one more night. You're also all registered for school, so that's all set---"

"What about my friends?" I blurted, the thought just occurring to me. Shit, they were going to freak. I told them I was only going to be gone for a day, two tops. "And my stuff? Who is going to pack it all?"

"We're leaving tonight to do all that," he answered with a hint of a smirk. He was such a worry wart. Honestly. It wasn't as if I was going to get knocked up with a teenage werewolf and have puppies anytime soon. Speaking of the devil, Seth almost knocked the front door down after he heard that I was leaving. He _really _needed to work on his sleuthing skills.

"What?" Seth tapped my dad on the shoulder.

"The separation isn't that bad, right?" I said to a tousled looking Sam as he came back from the woods.

My cousin jeered, "Are you kidding? It's not bad---it's horrible. I can barely stay away from Emily in general---all the others who've imprinted have the same problem. The last time Kim went on vacation with her family, Jared moped around the house watching romance movies."

Great. Seth was too young to be subjected to the horrors of _The Notebook _and _Titanic_.

"Not helping." I growled. Grinding my teeth, I listened in on a fight between my dad and Seth that had just broke out. Who would have thought that Seth Clearwater had to balls to go up against Peter Uley? Or the passion?

Definitely not me.

"Convince your dad to let Seth go with you then," was Sam's brilliant assessment of the situation.

"That's a death wish! Those two? In the car? Together? Sam, you're losing it." Remind me never to take his advice again. I _did _try it, you know, for grins. All I got was a yelled refusal from my dad along with a door slammed in my face---rudely I might add. We ended up leaving for the Lone Star State an hour later. My dad allowed me to drive as a peace offering.

It still didn't lift my sour mood.

I was only the imprintee and I already wanted to take anti-depressants. I shuddered to think what Seth was feeling right now. Right when our SUV drove out of the trees and onto that dreary black road, I caught sight of something big in my rearview mirror.

A sandy colored wolf.

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**I'm so asleep right now, it's not even funny so please ignore all the grammar mistakes :D--I have no beta and edit this on my own, lol. Ahh soo what did you think? It's not my fav chapter, but it gives us some information. We finally learn Tala's account of her mom's death….now for the real mystery: her dad's. I'm so excited, I can't wait to write the secret out! Yay! I wasn't sure if it was sufficient enough at first when I thought of it, but now I'm content. Hehehe. The hints are fun to leave, so check it out. Love, love, love feedback. So review!! You have no idea how much those things make my day--I live for those…LOL. **

**Already brainstorming for next chapter; comments, ideas, theories are always welcome!**

Il suo cantante: his singer (in what I hope to be the correct Italian form)


	13. What We Do in the Name of Love

**OMG, you guys are beyond awesome. 34 reviews? I do not deserve you. I am soo sorry this is late--my updates are probably going to be weekly now considering my ever piling load of work. Ok, I'm going to say this because I think people got a little bit confused last chapter. The dream was just a dream--Tala had the last part of that little nightmare when she was younger. That was how she envisioned her mom's death. **

**Ahh just read **_**Blood and Chocolate**_**--great bk! I wish there were more fanfics about it. If you know any good after stories, tell me. I love the Vivian/Gabriel pairings.**

**As an extra treat, I'm making this longer. Get excited. **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

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**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Thirteen:

* * *

_I was only the imprintee and I already wanted to take anti-depressants. I shuddered to think what Seth was feeling right now. Right when our SUV drove out of the trees and onto that dreary black road, I caught sight of something big in my rearview mirror._

_A sandy colored wolf._

* * *

Three missed stop signs, seven forgotten turn signals, two near collisions, and a crossing on a red light was my official record on the way back.

My dad finally took the wheel from there.

It wasn't as if I was a horrible driver---usually. That was me at my worst---even skidding and throwing coffee on my driver's ed teacher didn't beat this. I'm surprised I didn't even get a ticket---or twenty for that matter. Better yet, I'm _astonished_ that my dad didn't get out of his shotgun seat earlier.

I think he was in shock.

Dare I say oops?

We were a few hours from home and I had officially lost track of my furry friend. My amazing driving skills were due to _that_ anxiety attack. It already had crossed mind that he may have doubled back. I mean, Seth wasn't going to run all the way to Texas in his wolf form for me. Right? He wouldn't just leave La Push---I don't think he was even allowed.

And now I was stuck listening to the many rants of Peter Uley (he had finally come to his senses).

"Tala, you are grounded from the car for a month. That was inexcusable." I coughed, trying to cover up my laughter. It was funny when he used his version of _big words_.

"Pititchu, are you even listening to me? One month." Nodding, I stared out the window.

Tree. Car. Tree Tree. Plane---

I suppose the punishment could have been worse. My father should've banned me from driving all together. Thankfully, he wasn't known to be one with an imagination. He had to have straight up facts in front of him---didn't believe it if he didn't see it. I'd hate to admit it, and would lie in court if asked, but I was exactly the same way. My mom's creativity didn't exactly rub off on me. Which is why the whole imprinting and mythical creatures thing scared me to hell. It was beyond my normal boundaries of thinking.

"…amazing isn't it? As if it was just waiting for us to come back." I pulled myself from my thoughts and tried to look as if I had heard what he said.

He wasn't fooled, dammit.

"Tala Uley! When I was younger, I paid attention to my elders when they were talking to me. We would be…" I blocked him out. I didn't have a major desire to hear him ranting about how perfect he was as a child and how I needed to be more like him. It wasn't as if I hadn't heard it millions of times before. He was a straight A student, he was on the baseball team, he helped his parents around the house and took care of his siblings. He listened, talked only when permitted, he never drank, never smoked, never had sex before marriage….

It was a life out of a horror story if you ask me. I ended up blaring the radio---hoping to drown out his voice. Dad got mad and turned the sound off all together and we both were forced to endure the silence that came with it.

Relief trickled down my spine when the familiar blocks of our neighborhood came into view. The perfect ending to a horrible car ride. I literally jumped from my seat and grabbed my house key from my back pocket.

Success.

My cell phone was right where I left it---on the charger. Same with my lovely iPod. Lord knows how much that would've been useful on the trip. Listening to heavy metal or loud alternative rock would've been a great option compared to hearing my father drone on about his life for two full days.

Stupid memory loss.

I trudged up the stairs to my room. Our brick house was two stories: master and guest room on bottom while mine was on top. The only depressing thing about the arrangement was that the floors were so old, they creaked (aka no sneaking). And let's just say my dad had excellent hearing, meaning no late night visitors. My white door came into view and I prepared myself for the onslaught of clothes I would expect on the other side. My room wasn't exactly clean---I was not a neat freak.

I think I died and went to heaven. It was spotless. Not a dust particle in sight. I stood frozen solid in the hallway.

Aliens. That had to be it.

"Dad! Why is my room not covered with junk?" I screamed.

"I took the courtesy and asked someone to clean it while we were gone. We don't need the extra stress." He yelled back. I could hear the sound of duct tape being unraveled as my father stretched it onto a box.

Always the efficient one.

I turned back to my foreign surroundings and took a step in. My bed was made, clothes were in the hamper, books lined up neatly on a shelf, and computer screen dusted. The list went on. I sighed and lay on my bed, closing my eyes. Calmness seeped in me as I took in a lulling, woodsy scent, almost feeling the heat of it near me.

My eyes shot open.

"Boo."

Seth was grinning from ear to ear looking down at me with amusement. My heart accelerated as I tried to ignore that dark passion that he was emitting in waves. It wasn't working.

"How'd you find me?" I choked. "I thought you gave up following."

A brief moment of hurt colored his face as he touched my shoulder in comfort. "As if I could ever _stop_ following you," he teased. "Anyway, I just followed your car."

"Oh," the statement barely registering in my brain. I sat up and wiggled myself from his grasp---not that I didn't want him there.

He rolled his eyes. "You're still playing _that_ game? I thought we were past that."

"Since when?" I questioned, the corners of my mouth lifting. He remained silent and fidgeted---probably couldn't think of a good response. "So, how do you like Texas so far?"

"It's different," he mumbled.

I snorted. "What were you expecting? Tumbleweed and cactuses? Cowboys on horses?" A blush tinged his cheeks and I couldn't help myself. I burst into full blown laugher.

"It's amazing what type of stereotypes people put on places. Next thing you're going to tell me is that Alaska has igloos."

"Umm," was his brilliant answer. I shook my head in disbelief and locked my door. Couldn't have my dad coming in here unawares. He would freak if he knew Seth was with me.

"So what now?" I pondered, staring at a picture on my bedside table.

"Well," Seth slid by my side slyly. "I was wondering if later you wanted to go out on your first date with me---since you're into the whole hard to get thing."

"Hmm," I tapped my chin as if in thought. "I did just get home, and am pretty busy…" Seth's eyes lost their glow and shoulders hunched as if prepared for rejection. If only that were the case. Lucky for him, he was too irresistible to pass up.

"Sure," I said with a hint of a smile. "What time?"

"Eight. Be ready by then."

"I hope it isn't something too generic," I complained. "I mean it's our first date and you barely know the area!"

"What's considered generic?" He asked, knowing full well what I was going to say next.

"Let's see, movie and dinner combo has been done before. Walking on the beach…not that there's one here. And---"

"That doesn't give me many choices," he pouted slightly.

"You'll think of something," I said, a sweetness tingeing my voice. He groaned and reached for my waist, trying to hold me close to him. Wanting to keep up with my charade, I jumped off the bed in one leap and leaned near my window. He sulked and tried to break me down with his big, puppy brown eyes. I resisted as hard as I could, but even Seth knew that I was going to crash.

Dammit.

He sauntered over and wrapped his arms around me, enveloping me in his warmth. I literally melted--- this was so not fair. The werewolf totally cheated.

"Seth, do you want me to get a stroke?" I said, wiggling out of his grasp. "We're in Texas and heat is something I certainly do not need more of right now." Before he replied, my dad knocked on my door.

"Pititchu, one of your friends is on the phone."

Shit, they were literally going to kill me. The last time I talked to them was when my dad and I left a week ago. I had been bitching about my new class schedule that came in the mail that day and how my father was making me go to Washington. I wanted to laugh---look what happened since. I reconnected with my lost cousin, found out that mythical creatures were real, and came back with my soulmate. What a mouthful. I was now dreading to see how many missed calls and text messages were awaiting me on my cell phone.

I opened the piece of wood a crack and my dad suspiciously handed me the handheld.

"Hello?" I wonder which person was about to inflict torment on me first.

"Where have you been, Tal? I've been texting and calling you for days. Why didn't you respond?" Becca shouted at me. I held back the ear piece and cringed. Of all people it had to be her.

"I was in La Push a little longer than I thought I would be, and well, I forgot all my electronics at home."

Becca hesitated for a second before ranting on, "School starts next week! We have to be ready for junior year! There is still shopping to do and then…"

Here it comes, the big finale. How could you tell your best friend that you are moving? I decided it was probably better to say face-to-face.

"Hey Beck, we need to talk. Can you round up Zach, Tyler, Brian, and Amy? Meet me at the usual place."

"Is everything cool, Tala?" Ugh, I loved her to death. This was going to suck. I consoled her and hung up. Seth came over and hugged me, wiping the tears that were dripping down my face. I shook him off. It was already embarrassing enough that my heart was accelerating, and my breathing was getting a little too quick for my taste.

"You really don't get this whole challenge thing, do you?" I retorted. Seth's warm hand moved under my chin as he titled my face upwards so he could see my eyes. His were dark and full of love…and was that lust? A quiver went down my arm and my face flushed to even a brighter red. Seth then moved and took a hold of my hand. For the first time, I noticed how perfectly they fit together---like they were made for each other.

Every contour of my skin matched his.

He leaned in closer and my heart literally skipped a beat.

"No," Seth whispered into my ear huskily. I felt like fainting. He grinned and pulled back, but my clasp wouldn't let him go.

"Not fair, you keep cheating," I mumbled, my eyes narrowing.

"You keep claiming that," Seth chuckled, "And yet you're the one doing the seducing." I scoffed. Like that was even possible. I was not a temptress. He, on the other hand, I wasn't so sure about.

"You're going to be the death of me," I grumbled, still tightening my clutch. A look of worry crossed his face as he felt my strength, but it disappeared just as quickly. I'm not going to even bother asking.

"Do you want me to come along?" I sighed, he probably shouldn't. Tyler, Brian, and Zach would accuse me of moving just because of him---even if it did speak a half truth.

I shook my head, "I'm going to have to handle this on my own." We both decided that he would stay in the room and I would meet my friends before our date. I grabbed my cell on the way out the door and felt like Moaning Myrtle.

Fifty missed calls. Thirty-eight new voicemail. Twenty-one new text messages.

I'm glad my answering machine got some good use while I was gone. How did they even fit that many messages in my inbox? I flipped through some of them to see what kind of notes my friends left.

_Hey Tal, how's Forks?  
Where are you?  
When are you coming home, Tala?  
OMG, Tyler just kissed me. I know, no freakin' way, right? Call me!  
Is it rainy?  
I'm grounded. Pls answer, I'm bored to death.  
Party at Minnie's, bring ppl.  
Pool, NOW!  
Where the hell are you? ANSWER!!!_

The texts went on and on. I sighed and deleted them all---they would find out soon enough. The park on Dover Street was ten minutes away from my house walking distance. Five with car. If only I wasn't grounded. It was times like these where I regretted using my tongue. Whatever. It wasn't as if it was that bad. I plodded down the sidewalk with my hands in my pocket. What was I going to say? How would I do this? The hair on my neck rose and I felt a tingling in my spine.

Someone was watching me.

I sped up and so did the faint rustling from the bushes. Who would stalk me at this hour? It was five in the evening---shouldn't everyone be getting ready for dinner and all the other mundane activities that people did? The park was looming closer now and I began to sprint. All I had to do now was somehow dive into the underbrush and meet my friends in the heart of the park near the blue bench.

"Tala."

I did a one eighty and found myself face to face with Brian. His concerned baby blue eyes watched me warily as I heaved a sigh of relief.

"What's up, Brian?" My voice was reedy and high, the opposite of what I wanted it to be. The only reason that I didn't freak out with him, Zach, and Tyler was because I had known them since the fourth grade. They didn't go into the category of tongue-twisting horror. Brian reached over to steady me, and a low growl was emitted from a bush nearby. I jumped and looked around---nothing was there. It was probably just my imagination acting up on me. Or maybe it was some sort of rabid dog.

"You good, Tal? You're kinda pale."

"Fine," I coughed. "Probably just suffering from hunger. Haven't eaten since I got back." I smiled weakly to back up my excuse. Brian rolled his eyes at me and grabbed a granola bar from his pocket.

"Figured." I gave him a word of thanks and chomped on the grainy surface silently. Brian was awesome---there were no other words to describe him. He was 6'2" with dark curly hair that stopped a little bit before his chin. Amy, my friend since second grade, was completely and irrevocably in love with him. He just didn't know it yet. Beck and I's favorite activity was to find ways to hook them up. Nothing had worked so far.

I guess we were just really sucky matchmakers.

"How was Washington?" Brian tried starting up a conversation.

I finished chewing and replied, "It was cool, met a ton of people." I forgot that Brian hated vague responses---he waited for me to continue. "Fine. I met a guy. Happy?" Wow, I needed to go to obedience school or something. That took, what? Less than a minute for me to spill the beans?

The corners of his mouth went up into a smile worthy of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. "Wondering what was different…tell Becca or any of the others yet?"

"Ha!" I crossed my arms. "And waste three hours talking about the 'dirty' details?" I air quoted. "I don't think so---I can find better ways to spend my time."

"Sure you can." His pace quicken as we neared our final destination. "What did you want to talk to us about, anyway? Beck was literally a wreck on the phone. She thinks someone died or something."

A frown crossed my expression. Leave it to Beck to be the drama queen. "Nobody died."

I left it at that and we both sat ourselves down on the peeling, rickety old bench to wait for the others. I tensed up when I heard another rustle from the leaves in one of the trees across the way. Brian didn't seem to notice so I ignored it, trying to figure out what the heck was stalking me.

"Hey wolfie! Whatcha been doing lately?" Tyler ran up giving me a high five. That guy took way too many medications to be considered normal.

"Ty, my name is not wolfie!" This argument had been done way too many times before.

"Yes, it is." He pointed out. I ran my hand through my wavy hair. Now it was just getting old.

"Taaaallllaaaa," a voice screamed out and I was attacked by Amy. Becca came up behind her and gave me a quick hug---she was not a touchy feely kind of person. I looked around for Zach but he was nowhere to be found.

"He saw the sign," Becca quietly said. I bit my lip. Of course, dad must've put up the 'for sale' sign already. "Then he kind of freaked and refused to go the rest of the way with me."

"Jerk," I muttered under my breath. "He doesn't even know _where_ I'm leaving too."

"Yes, he's a jackass, now tell us." Amy bounced. "It's the house next to mine, right? Remember, last month your dad…"

"Not there, Amy." She stopped jumping and her face fell. Brian and Tyler stared at me, disbelief lining their features while Beck looked like she was about to break down.

"My dad decided to move us back to La Push." It was another one of those cricket chirping moments. Nobody said anything. It was dead silent. Tears began filling up Becca's green eyes as she took in what I had said.

"It's because of the guy, isn't it?" There. Brian just _had_ to bring that up---typical him. Becca and Amy swirled on me. Crap.

_What's his name? How old is he? How did I meet him? Did we sleep together? Is he hot? _They had known me for years and yet they ask me stupid, pointless questions. I shrugged the two off and glared at my best guy friend. Tyler started snickering.

"Tala, a guy? You've got to be crazy. She can barely say two words to any of them outside of the group."

I punched him lightly in the arm. He winced, "Where the hell did you pick up that strength?"

I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't _that _hard---it's not like I've been taking martial arts."

"Could've fooled me," he mumbled. A decent sized bruise swelled up on the spot where I hit him. I glanced at my knuckles---since when could I do that?

"She's grown taller too," Brian added. Before she was to my shoulder and now she's a little past the neck…" Amy and Beck started scrutinizing me looking for more changes. Tyler scoffed at their efforts and began trying his own investigation.

"Do you want me to hit you again?" I threatened backing away.

"Tala, you can't leave!" Becca wailed. "We're supposed to finish high school and go to college together!" Amy resounded her complaints.

"I know guys. I can't do anything about it though…" I said, my vision was clouded with water. It seemed like all I did these days was cry. That had to stop. Soon. "Don't worry; I'll visit a lot. Then, there's always e-mail and that new chat thing Zach found."

"It's not the same," Amy whined. "We can't talk hate about the teachers, we can't go to the mall on week nights, we can't—"

"Don't list it," Brian said, comforting her. Wow, of course it's _right_ when I leave when he goes all Mr. Emotional on me. Tyler stood awkwardly for a second before hugging Becca to try and calm her down.

No one helped me. I shivered and took a peek at my watch.

5:35 P.M.

"How much longer are you staying?" A new voice sounded from my left. Zach in his blonde haired glory walked up and stopped in front of me.

He was never my favorite. I wanted to snap at him for not coming earlier. I wanted to make a snide comment to his face. But I held myself back. I probably wouldn't see him in a long time---may as well make amends now.

"I'm not sure. Not till tomorrow or the day after I'm guessing."

"So soon?" Becca grabbed me by the arm. "That leaves no time for a goodbye party!" Good. Parties were _not_ my thing. According to Alice, it wasn't Bella's either. I had to inform the pixie when we went shopping that she was _not_, I repeat not, to throw a Seth-got-an-imprint masquerade.

I just hope she listened.

"It's okay, Beck. I'll live. It's probably better this way, anyway."

"I'm going to miss you. I'll drop by tomorrow, 'kay?" I nodded and hugged each one in turn---even the impossible Zach. He didn't look all mighty and macho now. He looked down-right ill.

"You better get unlimited texting," Amy warned me menacingly. "Because I will invade your inbox." I hiccupped and after a few more goodbyes we all walked our separate ways home. The sun was just setting and the sky was like a painter's canvas.

Beautiful.

"You're crying," someone stated from behind me. I jumped as two scorching, hot arms lifted me off the ground.

"So you're the stalker," I mumbled. "You know, you didn't have to follow me. I was perfectly safe."

"You're never going to be safe without me," Seth teased, putting his cheek on top of my head comfortingly. "We don't have to go on our date tonight, you know. We could wait till we get back to La Push."

"I'm perfectly fine," I insisted, though the flowing water on my cheeks betrayed me. He brushed off a few tears and held me closer to his bare chest. I breathed in his scent and sighed softly.

It just felt so good. I couldn't help myself.

Emily was right---I was falling fast and couldn't stop. I _would_ crash and burn.

"If you think so…" he started off in a new direction and I yelled at him, wanting to be put down.

"Seth, I am in no way ready for our first date. I need to change. I look awful and---"

"Tala, you never will look awful. You're always beautiful."

"You're biased," I accused him with a small grin. Every girl loves a compliment, especially from the opposite sex.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "But I don't think so."

"Seth, turn around and go back," I ordered.

"Nope," he replied, popping on the p. "We're now officially on our half date." I raised my eyebrows, apparently a common action this evening. He explained himself.

"Well, since we can't go on our first real date, we're going on our half one." I sometimes wondered what went through that boy's brain.

"Why do you have to find a way around everything?"

"I blame cleverness," he densely replied. I scoffed him on the ears and then demanded him once again to let me down.

"My feet _need_ ground, Seth. You can't just carry me forever!"

"Says who?"

"Says your apparent other half."

"Why do you ruin all the fun?" he whined as I swung myself out---an amazing feat, I know. I didn't answer, I was too distracted looking at the place where he had brought me. I'd spent half my life here and had never even known that this place existed. And he had found it in less than an hour. Wow.

I thought we were still in the park, but maybe I was wrong. In front of me was a small waterfall, its contents glimmering in the night. An emerald green meadow was centered in the middle, covered with a layer of bluebonnets. It was there where Seth had set up a picnic on a couple of colorful, lush blankets, just waiting to be sat on. I twisted my body towards him and stared into his liquid brown eyes in amazement.

He seemed entertained.

I was stolen from my sacred ground again and held bridal style in Seth's arms. He took a big step over the water and placed me softly on the covered floor.

"This is perfect, Seth. How did you find this place?"

Seth settled himself next to me, tenderly placing my head in his lap. He then hesitated, as if waiting for me to complain. Not tonight. I was too content.

"My little secret," he replied mysteriously, hand motions and all. I snorted and gazed up into his dark orbs once more.

"So have I won your heart yet?" He mused aloud.

"Do you think you have?"

His lips went in full pout mode. "Not yet—but I know I have to be close." If Seth knew how right he was, he would probably claim me then and there. I was a goner. The only thing between us was three small words.

* * *

The night was a smoky black dotted with bright stars. Due to all the pollution down here, the sight was rare---only seen in the rural parts of the state. We ate and feasted on the picnic. Seth, I admit, packed all my favorites.

Emily must've spilled the beans before I left---there was no possible way he would know otherwise.

"Why'd that guy call you wolfie?" Seth asked after I had told him about my life after my mom died. He got the lowdown on all my friends…and enemies.

"That's what my name means, ironically." I informed him. It was actually stalking wolf, but what's the difference?

He seemed confused, a frown appearing on his face. "What tribe is it from?"

"It's not. Supposedly it came from the Cherokees, but I'm pretty sure it's just a native name that we, Americans, cooked up when we got bored."

"Oh," was his only comment as we both went back to star-gazing. Somehow Seth's hand got intertwined with mine as we both enjoyed each other's company.

"Am I allowed to kiss you now?" He murmured to me in his rich, baritone.

I surrendered.

Seth bent down and with slow, deliberate kisses, he trailed a path up my neck, making his way up to my ear. I shivered, my fingers entangling themselves in his hair. It was then when I felt his burning touch caress my back, moving me even closer as he touched my lips.

I kissed him back with all the might that I had.

"I love you," he whispered against my cheek.

"I love you, too."

The perfect end to the perfect date.

* * *

**Wow, this is longest I've ever done. Past 5,000 words. Hopefully, this will keep everyone settled till next weekend. Sorry for any errors--I've never done so much editing at one time. That was so cute to write; Tala finally, finally accepts him. LOL, she didn't have a chance--he **_**is**_** her soul mate. I decided to give everyone a view on what Tala's life was like before La Push so you can understand her character a bit more. Which is why the part with her friends was a bit long….a lot of fluff :D I hoped you liked it! Don't worry; the drama will be coming back next chapter. Heheh **_**and**_** more cliffies if I can help it. **

**Anyway, please review! Feedback and critiques are always wanted :D**

**R.E.V.I.E.W. **


	14. Creepers Will Always Be Creepers

**Ahhh I know, it's been forever. I honestly haven't had time to write though, in my defense. Thank you for weekends! I hope you like the chapter…The good thing that came out of the time lapse was that I got plenty of muses (you know who you are) so more originality in chapters, hehehe. That'll be fun to write. **_**Anything**_** you assumed before may or may not be correct, lol. **

**Just saw Eagle Eye yesterday….it was interesting. A computer dominating the US--puts a new turn on things. It was like watching a two hour episode of '24.' I liked most of it, but NOT the end. Everything just always has to work out….**

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Fourteen:

* * *

"_I love you," he whispered against my cheek._

"_I love you, too."_

_The perfect end to the perfect date._

* * *

"Dad! Why did you put these in the trash?" I retrieved a pile of perfectly decent posters from the garbage bag and stacked them on the floor beside me. My father turned his head slightly to see what the problem was.

"Pititchu, we don't need to bring anything that we're not going to use. It was hard enough convincing the movers to help us---usually you have to book them weeks in advance." I sighed---this day was never-ending.

It was the morning after and I'm quite happy to note that my dad didn't catch Seth and me coming back from the park. Sadly, the werewolf couldn't hang with me during the day. I felt as if half of me had broken away.

It was depressing. And packing did _nothing_to brighten my mood.

Thankfully, a majority of the things that my dad and I had accumulated over the years were mostly papers and such. Nothing too big, or else boxing would be a pain in the ass. Yet, no matter how much truth was in those words, my sanctuary equaled the mess of a zoo. Dad knew that I would end of wreaking the perfectly spotless room somehow---there was no point of cleaning it.

"Tala, can you go check the attic? I'm pretty sure there are some old boxes up there." My dad motioned me to take a look. Grumbling and kicking a few rolls of tape, I dolefully climbed up the rickety stairs that were propped against a wall.

Safe, right?

Other than a few dust bunnies and some gigantic boxes, the attic was clear. My father must have tackled this project last night. I rubbed my hands together and prepared to try and lift one of the dusty brown containers.

It was light.

I dropped the box in surprise and watched as a couple dozen photo albums fell out. The thing must've weighed more than thirty pounds! Proven fact said that it was literally impossible for a girl with my finesse be able to easily carry that sort of mass.

"Pititchu, are you alright?"

"Fine," I shakily responded, crouching on my knees to clean up the mess I'd made. What a lie, 'fine' was the farthest thing I was feeling right now. Better words would have been shocked, surprised, tired, lonely, annoyed…

Not fine.

A sliver of a smile appeared on my face as I caught sight of my mother and I on the swings at the old playground in La Push. It had been taken in a simpler time, a time when I wasn't surrounded by lies and hidden secrets. A time when I had a complete family and where mythical creatures didn't exist on the reservation. I found myself turning the pages, having flashbacks of the past. I noticed that none of my relatives were photographed with me. I guess Sam and I really weren't that close. I proceeded to the next few albums and continued to glance through those as well.

There was a picture with three Native American teenage boys posing goofy grins. My heart stopped as I squinted in the sorry light to see who they were. Seth, Jacob, and …. Dad? I looked in closer. Why would Seth and Jake be messing around with my father in the rustic ages? They weren't that old. I scooted closer to the stain glass window and gasped. It was Harry and Billy. I guess they were childhood friends after all. I shuddered at the eerie likeness of fathers and sons and gently slid the piece of paper into my back pocket---it was something I was sure my dad didn't want to throw away.

The next photo caught me by surprise as well. My father was smack in the middle, a twin hanging on the right hand side. They both gave me toothy grins, baseball bats in hand. A frown formed on my face, why was I so awful at the guessing game today? I swore that my dad didn't have a twin…

I smacked my head in frustration.

It was my dad's brother. Joshua Uley. I was so stupid---this was Sam's father, my uncle. My dad always shied away from _this_ particular topic as much as he could. Apparently, from the little information I could scrape out of him, the two used to be best friends until my uncle started hanging out with the wrong crowd. And from there it went downhill.

But of course, my father had to be the little saint in these memories. I rolled my eyes and kept flipping. My fingers stopped as they caught the edge of a rusty paper clip holding a faded piece of paper to the back of one of the scrapbooks that I'd discovered deeper in the box.

It was the obituary of Nina Uley. Her beautiful russet colored face smiled at me as I read the tragic death of my mother all over again. The words at the bottom were new to me though.

_Child might be put in custody with father's sister-in-law until case is closed. _

What case? That fine print just told me that I could have been living with Sam and his mother all this time with my dad…in jail? He didn't do anything, unless you count witnessing the massacre of his wife by wild animals. The world is messed up, I decided, before stuffing the article in my already filled pocket. I might need it later.

As I came down, my cell phone went off in my room, blaring my ringtone at full volume. My dad groaned---I put that little song on purposely for his enjoyment. Grinning, I threw the boxes down and hopped off to answer it.

One word beeped on the LCD screen.

ZACH

Huh. That was a first. I debated with myself, not really wanting to mess with him. With Zach always came drama, he was such a player at our school.

_He just wants to say goodbye, _a voice in my head pestered me. _You are leaving tomorrow and he is your close friend. _Not, I told it, already about to click the ignore button.

But my mind and body must've not been in sync, because my finger slipped and pushed 'talk.'

Dammit. I put the phone to my ear.

"Hey Zach. What's up?"

An awkward pause came from the other line---I guess he expected to leave a recording. "Tala?"

"Who else?" I snorted, tapping my foot impatiently on the wooden ground.

"Oh. I just wanted to say bye, we didn't get to talk much last night." I thanked my lucky stars on that one.

"Goodbye, then." I tried to act all teary and sincere, even though inside I was jumping with joy. The only reason we were friends was because of Becca and her raging hormones at age nine.

"I meant like face-to-face, you know a…hug or something?" I could just picture the wince and scrunching up of his face as he said that. In Zach's vocabulary, those sorts of words were practically non-existant.

"I don't know, Zach. I'm kind of busy packing for tomorrow." A small pang of guilt hit my stomach and I wanted to curse at it. He was a rotten friend, why should he be the one to send me off? But then my conscience starting nagging at me, screaming things like _you're never going to see him again _and some other cheesy lines.

"You don't want to say goodbye to a friend you've known since elementary. That's cold, Tal." Ugh, he used the 'we've been friends since blah blah blah' card. Jerk. He knew that would for sure set off my guilt alarm. Dumbass. Another round of curses almost flew out my mouth as I gritted my teeth and replied, "Okay, meet me at the park in five."

I hated him.

Hated him with a passion.

"Be back in a few, Dad," I shouted as I ran out the door. A hand caught the scruff of my neck and pulled me back. My father's stern face killed the perfectly good view.

"Where are you going? There is still plenty of packing to do before tomorrow, Pititchu. You can't just gallivant off to who knows where."

"I'm just saying bye to Zach, 'kay? It'll take ten minutes tops, I swear." His grip loosened and he peered at me suspiciously.

"Since when have you been close with Zachary Bell?"

"Since never," I snapped. "I'd rather stay here, which _must_ be saying something. This place is a prison with boxes."

"Only him?" My father hinted skeptically, ignoring my sardonic comment. I nodded and waved my phone under his nose.

"Got my cell, Dad. I'll be fine. No evil monsters are going to come out and eat me."

He shook his head. "It's Texas. There's a reason I picked this place—sunlight."

So what was his point? Of course there's sun in this state, Can't say the same for Washington though… I smiled for a brief moment, pretending like I understood his cryptic remark, and trudged out of the house.

It was in the high nineties, my t-shirt already sticking to my skin. I licked my lips in attempt to cool them off and glanced around. Where was Seth? I for sure thought that he would attack me when I got out of my air conditioned house. My dad's favorite sound blasted again and I took a long look at that screen.

_Meet me at rock instead. _

Growling, I texted Zach an insulting reply and changed directions. Children's screams rang through my ears as I took a shortcut across the swing sets. The playground had been there for ages---I'd had my tenth birthday on the legendary slide. And for the umpteenth time that day I found my head stuck in ancient times.

I ran past the blue bench in seconds and started ascending a grassy hill to Zeus's Rock. Our group had been hiding out here on weekends ever since we were kids---it was our secret place that only we knew about. Zach was already up there, pacing.

Wonder what his problem was.

I forced my mouth into an amiable smile and waved. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at me with the oddest expression.

Creepy.

"Hi Zach!" His eyes met my tawny ones filled with something foreign. Always had to be the mystery man…

"Nothing," he muttered, leaping off the stone in one swift movement. If I didn't know better, I'd say that was worthy of even vampiric skill. "How's packing?"

"Same old, same old. Just lots of boxes and tape." He gave me a small grin and pushed a pebble around with his foot.

"I heard about that guy," he began. "Are you moving off to nowheresville just for him?"

_You wish_, I thought sarcastically. "Why do you even care? And no, I'm not moving just for some guy, I'm moving because my dad said we're moving."

"Sure, whatever," was his only response. He didn't believe me. So what? I didn't owe anyone any explanations, him especially.

"So, that's it? You just came to interrogate me?" I spat, my feet already backing up. What a great goodbye. Zach came closer and I got a whiff of the alcohol that stained his breath. Damn, he must've gotten into his mom's top secret stash before coming here. He seemed coherent, though. My eyes flitted towards his open arms suspiciously. A hug seemed harmless enough.

Right when he was about to do that dreaded motion, Zach grabbed my hands and held them tightly to my sides. "No," he hissed, his voice turning smoother per second. "I came to do this."

And without any warning, Zachary Bell kissed me.

I gasped and tried escaping his hold, but he just went in harder. His tongue tried prying my mouth open, wanting to get inside. Yeah right. Tough luck, buddy. Zach's idea of kissing was hard and forceful, unlike the soft and gentle manner of Seth that I had become accustomed to.

"Tell me that you love me," his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Get off me you jerk," I managed to screech. He stopped, hurt lining his features.

"Why have you always avoided me? What did I ever do to you?"

"What the hell is your problem, Zach? Are you high?" A roar shook the trees and the lanky body of my savior came out of it. Seth strode up to where we were, shaking like a phone on vibrate. He was going to blow.

"Seth, go away," I breathed. He could _not_ transform in front of the jackass of a friend. My protector stepped a few feet back.

"He hurt you." His fists were in balls, and I detected the quivers that were rocking down his spine. The fury in his brown eyes was so intense that it struck me to the core.

Crap. Not good.

"He's not in the right state of mind, just leave before anything bad happens." I begged him, wanting to kill myself for standing up for the man handler.

"Get lost, she doesn't want you," Zach sneered. That was the final straw. I wiggled one hand loose and slapped him. "No, I don't want _you_."

Stupid idiot wouldn't get it through his puny walnut-sized brain that I didn't like him and would never in my life like him. He had enough girls to toy with.

"I'll tell them that you brought you're little boyfriend here," Zach threatened, "especially your dad."

"Weak," I shot back. An evil idea must've struck him because he took one look at Seth and smacked my lips violently, me resisting with every ounce of strength I had.

That did it.

An inhuman snarl erupted and from the corner of my eye, I saw man turn into beast.

It was horrifying.

Without any clue what I was doing, I rolled out from under Zach and grabbed his arm, tugging the sick teenager in the opposite direction. No way was I going to let him get torn to pieces by Seth. No matter how keen I was on the idea, it was not in my, nor his, best interests.

I'd never realized how steep the hill was till that moment. Dragging a drunkard was hard enough, but running for both of our lives as well was a completely different story. I trusted Seth with my whole heart---just not when he was in his animal form. One glance at the sandy wolf's livid features made my legs turn into jelly.

I admit, I was scared to death. You would be too if your imprint only had bloody murder on his mind.

"What the hell!" Zach panted as I drove both of us into some trees. Seth was right on our tails, ready for revenge. "He...you…it…wolf."

Dammit, Seth. Just had to go 'were' on us.

Ok, I didn't just hate Zach. I _loathed_ him and his messed up head.

We were cut off by my soulmate's snarls right ahead of us. His pools of darkness were intent on the boy I was supporting. My new equation for life: a wolf angry equals bad ending, very bad ending. I flinched as I noticed the wolf's teeth were bared and tail was raised in threat.

Was this what my mom saw before she died?

"Leave him alone," I said under my breath as menacingly as I could knowing full well that Seth would hear me. "He's not worth it."

That just got him angrier. Why was the dog so possessive?

"Zach," I turned on him. "Get out, _now_. I'll handle it." What a lie. I was about to pee in my pants, no joke.

"You're a girl, like you can handle anything." Zach scoffed. Red lined my vision for a brief instant and I punched the boy right in the face.

"I can handle _that_," I retorted loudly, pushing him away. "Now, g_et out_."

"You're crazy. I saw…that wolf. Something's really messed up and I'm going to find out." Like I could care, nobody would believe him. I shoved his muscled body away harder until he started sprinting in a typical drunken fashion away from the clearing. Seth growled and moved forward. Did they keep their minds when they turned? I always figured, but he looked as if he were about to attack.

"Don't hurt me," I cried out before tripping over a log and falling on my butt. Graceful as always. He came closer, and I tried scuttling towards a tree stump in a hopeless attempt to save myself.

I was going to die. (Sadly that sentence was becoming popular.) My imprint had lost it.

Suddenly, Seth's shape blurred and a ferocious looking human stared into my face. "Hurt you?" He shouted indignantly. "Hurt you, Tala? Why did you protect him? He deserved to be---"

"What? Killed?" I interrupted, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. My eyes strayed from his expression in attempts to avoid it and I stopped. Mortified.

Seth was naked.

Oh my freakin' gosh. I blushed crimson and glanced down. I meant up.

"Tala." Seth tried reaching towards me to wipe the water off my fevered skin, but I recoiled and drew back.

"Get. Away. From. Me," I said, fear enveloping in my chest. Knowledge dawned on me as I all of the sudden realized how Emily received the scars that now marred her beautiful face.

Sam.

My cousin hurt her. He lost control.

That just frightened me more.

"Leave, Seth." My voice sounded strangled as I got up and steadied myself. He tried to catch me for support but I shook my head and took no notice of him. Seth then began to convulse---his expression was twisted in pain and sprinkled with rage.

I had to get out, and fast.

"Bye," I whispered softly, hoping he would calm down. Too late. I heard a ripping noise, and then, without a single glimpse back, I darted down the closest trail, running till my legs burned fire.

A wolf howled in the distance.

In mourning.

* * *

**Poor Seth :( Tala is scared out of her wits though; she can't help it. Google an angry wolf and multiply it like 100 times. That was the Seth that Tala saw. I would be freaked. Anyway, lots of drama there….wow I planned a totally different direction for this chapter. Sorry for any typos, I wanted to put this up as soon as possible. **

**Zach is in my hate bk…arrgghhh he just had to go and ruin it. He is, by the way, now officially out of the picture. The next chapter hopefully won't take 2 wks like this time, I've already written 1,000 words since this update was originally planned to be like I just said, something completely different.**

**Please review! I honestly want to know what you guys thought...Feedback and critiques are ALWAYS welcome. **


	15. Did I Mention That I HATED Wolves?

**It's just been another one of those weeks. Sorry this wasn't up earlier, I had so much homework and a minor case of writer's block. Thanks for all the alerts and reviews! You guys are the best. **

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Fifteen:

* * *

"_Bye," I whispered softly, hoping he would calm down. Too late. I heard a ripping noise, and then, without a single glimpse back, I darted down the closest trail, running till my legs burned fire._

_A wolf howled in the distance._

_In mourning._

* * *

It started out the same as last time.

"_All alone," a cruel laugh escaped his blood-red lips. I turned my head and watched as the vampire crept closer to me. _

_I was deadweight, a deer stuck in headlights. _

"_No one to save you now," Garrett's horrible scent breathed down my neck. Shivering with fear, I tried scooting away, but it was as if my mind had a mental block. _

"_No little werewolves to protect you," he smirked, scraping my wrist till the red leaked out of it. I screamed at the top of my lungs. _

_I was about to have the life sucked out of me. Literally. _

_The leech disappeared into nothingness and in his place was the huge wolf of my nightmares, staring at me with its dark, hungry eyes. _

_Suddenly, the fur color changed from a murky brown to a familiar shade of sand._

_Seth. _

"_Please, go!" I pleaded to him, trying to scuttle away on my knees. But in my dream world, it appeared that escaping was not an option. Seth drew closer and sniffed the air greedily---his chocolate brown orbs flickered to the sickening burgundy of the bloodsucker. _

_My world was going to end.  
All the tables were turned._

"_Leave me alone," I said faintly, terror building up in my chest. My heart was going to explode from beating so hard. The wolf began shaking and then it was as if somebody pressed the forward button. _

_My vision was clouded with a white flash, pain lining my body. The only thing I could smell was the rusty saltiness of blood pouring out my numerous wounds. _

_Other than that, I was numb._

_Until I heard the wolf's howl. _

"School starts Wednesday," a sudden voice woke me from my slumber. Groaning, I unstuck my cheek from the window and squinted at my father. Why was I even hearing him? I could swear that I'd fallen asleep with my iPod on loud---I certainly didn't want a rerun of the last couple of car rides.

"What?" I shook my leg awake and propped myself up. His dark eyes were on the road as he unskillfully tried to ignore my glare.

"I said," he coughed, "that school starts on Wednesday. They already know you're coming and everything."

"Classes?" I said dumbly. I knew that school was an unavoidable obstacle, but it never occurred to me that I would have to go back so soon. Like in two days. Guess I'd have to wake up and smell the coffee as the old saying goes.

My dad chuckled. I crossed my arms and positioned myself away from him. It wasn't like _he_ had to endure all the lousy homework and boring lectures.

"I just sent them the same schedule you had asked for in Texas. Some of the courses might be a little different, but I'm sure you'll be fine."

There it was again. Fine. That evil four-lettered word.

"Sure, whatever." A disapproving glance was sent my way and I rolled my eyes, sitting in stony silence. The last few days had been pure torture. My nights had been full of dark dreams, always ending with the same thing.

Seth losing control.

My heart ached at the separation---and the more I missed him, the more depressed I became. My dad figured something was up, but he, like a typical father, knew nothing when it came to a female's emotions. I think he preferred to keep it that way---me bawling my eyes out was one scenario that he could never handle.

The memory of Emily flashed through my mind for the billionth time. Then _his_ face, that look of pure insanity appeared.

The image burned.

All I remembered was having two goals in the forest. One, get my idiot friend out. And then run. Sure, some girls would've stayed, but what would their futures _now_ entail? A scarred face like Emily's? A broken relationship? Seth had scared the crap out of me. His wolf self was my worst nightmare.

"Now Pititchu, I want you to remember that your curfew still is at..."

Maybe this would be a good time to butt in and ask him about what I found in the attic. It was better than learning the do's and dont's of my life. I fished through my pocket and found the crinkled article that I'd kept with me at all times.

"Dad, why was I almost put into custody?" He frowned slightly at the window shield before fully turning towards me.

"Where did you find that?" His voice was deadly, laced with accusation and threat. I scrunched a little in my seat. My dad had never been this forward before.

"Upstairs," I bit my lip. "What case? What are you not telling me?"

The violet circles under his eyes stood out as he drew in a short breath---probably preparing to lie to my face. "There's always a case when someone dies, Tala. Just to double-check and make sure the death was what it was." Yep, I was right. Total lie. I had watched enough T.V. to know even _that_.

"Then, why was it in an obituary?" I challenged him, feeling a little bit more confident. "That's not normal."

He shrugged nonchalantly, as if it was nothing important. I gritted my teeth. This was my mother's death we were talking about! He can't just ride it off as if it were a speck of dust.

"What's normal about this family?" He grimly said.

"What's _not_ normal about this family?" I shot back, wanting answers. As usual, I got nothing.

"Enough, Tala. This discussion is over." My mouth swung open in amazement and I laughed. This was how he was going to defend himself?

"Just tell me what happened. What don't I know already?" My father fidgeted in his seat, making the seatbelt tighten.

"Some things are better left unsaid." He mumbled to himself before turning up the radio. I groaned loudly and turned up my music to the highest volume.

And that was how the entire trip to La Push went.

I asked, he avoided. I begged, he ignored. I pleaded with my puppy eyes, he grounded me from the car for another month.

Life is so unfair.

It's safe to say that I was in a sour mood by the time we reached our new home. It was a cute, little white-washed cottage, complete with green shudders that looked oddly familiar.

It was my old house.

"What the..." my dad exclaimed as he noticed the fresh layer of paint on everything. I was still glued to my seat in shock. Sam was right---my dad was a masochist. Mom and he made this house together with the help of several relatives. I thought he was trying to bury the memories of her, not embrace them.

"Da—ad, wha-?" He briefly looked at my bewildered features and rolled his eyes. Typical.

"Remember, Pititchu? I told you on the way to Texas." Like I was listening then. I recovered and pretended to appear as if I understood. My father was not fooled---as usual.

"Its last occupants left a few months ago and it was the only free house available in the area. I just don't know why it looks brand new---it was supposed to be partially damaged from a storm last year."

Let me take one guess what happened.

Super, mighty strong men. Aka werewolves.

My suspicions were answered as Emily opened the front door and waved. Leah, Kim, and Rachel magically popped up right behind her.

They didn't …

"Welcome back, Tala!" Emily squealed as she waddled towards the car with a very pregnant stomach. She opened up my door and enveloped me in a bear hug. It had to be hormones---no other possible explanation. Emily was never one to 'squeal' like a little girl finding out that her favorite Disney show was having a marathon.

"Hi Emily," I gasped, trying to take in air. "Did you…?"

"Yep!" She replied brightly, pulling my out of my safe haven. Dad was still stunned at the wheel. "C'mon, you have to see what we did. You'll love it!"

My curiosity was aroused enough where I let myself be dragged into the ghost house. Leah gave me a half smile as I passed her, but some hidden secret lay in her eyes. As if she knew something I didn't.

"How was Texas?" she asked when I was nearing up the stairs. Her fake smile faltered when she caught glimpse of my reaction.

"Not one of the best memories," I murmured, my expression torn. She backed off and sauntered into the new living room that Rachel had arranged. It wasn't like this discovery was new to her. She _was_ in Seth's pack.

* * *

Paint fumes were assaulting my senses all throughout the tour, getting stronger and stronger with every whiff I took. I had no idea why the others hadn't suffocated by now. The whole house was perfumed with it.

"Kim, is it just me or is the smell bugging you?" I interrupted the girl who was making a big deal of the tiles in the upstairs bathroom. I know---how fun.

"What smell?" She said, clearly confused.

"The paint."

Kim shot Emily a dark look. "We painted the house two days ago and it's been airing ever since."

"So that's a yes or no?" This game was starting to annoy me.

"No, or else Emily wouldn't be here right now." Emily's bell-like laugh filled the room.

"The baby," she simply stated at my perplexity. I grinned slightly before charging into my new room.

It was perfect.

The color was a dark blue with hints of silver accents---just like my bedroom in Texas. Obviously, someone had a great taste on this reservation.

"You're not the only one," a voice drawled from the doorway. I turned and found Leah scrutinizing me. In less than a second, she was standing over me. Well, I guess she hates to waste time. I took a step back in surprise.

Was she _trying_ to creep me out?

"They're really strong for me too."

I nodded. She did not come all the way here to try and intimidate me about paint smells.

"There's a pack meeting in five, c'mon." Finally, she got the point. Leah tugged my arm gently, but I stood my ground.

"I'm not part of a pack so I'm not required to go. I just got here!" Shaking her off, I walked around to see if there was an adjoining bathroom.

There wasn't. Dang it. Dad and I would have to fight for the shower in the morning now. That was going to be pleasant. I can already imagine the amount of father-daughter bonding I was going to get from the experience.

Leah mumbled to herself furiously in short, incoherent sentences before using her super speed to get near me again. "Look, I know it's going to be a little awkward, but you are needed. It's about the war we got left in after you went back to Texas." My eyes widened and she smiled. "Yeah, remember that? Now, let's go."

Well, yeah. It _was_ going to be majorly awkward around Seth. Seth. My stomach clenched as I thought of the name. This wasn't going to be good. "I'm not talking to him," I managed to blurt of as she tried to yank me off my feet again. Now she looked puzzled. Nice to know that was a popular response here.

"Seth? I was talking about…oh." She gasped as she saw the light of the situation. Here I was again, the young, naïve little Tala and the all-knowing rest of the pack. I hated that pattern.

"Maybe you shouldn't go," were the first few words that spilled out of her mouth. Great, now I _wanted_ to actually be at the pack meeting. Leah better not be using stupid reverse psychology on me. Well, even if she was, it was working. Ugh, curse my brain!

"Leah, tell or don't, but we're leaving. Where's the meeting at? Whose house?"

"It's not at a house," she said before shouting a quick goodbye to the other three girls and my bewildered father while flying us out of the house. We stood at the edge of the forest and I tapped my foot. Now what?

"Tala, I need to warn you. This meeting isn't exactly 'the usual.' "

"Define the usual."

"It's in our wolf forms," she said, barely audible. I choked.

"You're right. I can manage to skip this little pow wow. My dad's probably already wondering where I went off to and---"

"You're going. It's your birthright." Birthright? My birthright of being an imprint?

"Why aren't the others going then?" I shot back. Leah shook her head and dragged her hand through her black hair. Apparently I misinterpreted it.

"Never mind. We're leaving."

A smirk appeared on my lips. "Make me." With that I stomped off towards the direction of my house. I was tired from the car ride and I didn't need to deal with Leah. Hell no was I going to be in a lair of them in their wolf forms. I'd already learned my lesson on that.

"Last chance, Tala."

Ugh, why was Leah going all inhuman on me today? I groaned, "I don't want to go, Leah. I'm not part of the pack so it is a _reasonable_ explanation. Just give it a rest. It's not like me being there is going to help anything."

"It'll help Seth." Brilliant, she was using _that_ defense now.

"I don't give a damn about your little brother right now." I flashed. She stood there watching my body angrily shake with an expressionless façade. When I stopped, she took that brief pause to snatch me up and run. The trees were blurs of green and brown. I automatically felt sick. "Let me down, or so help me, I'll…"

"What? Burst?" She snickered, knowing that she'd won. Fear overcame me as I thought of what laid ahead. Wolves. I began quivering all over.

"No, it's too early." Leah gasped. "Tala, please don't be angry, I---"

Maybe she did think I would burst. I nearly laughed. She was a horrible emotion interpreter. Leah shook me roughly to try to get my attention. If we weren't going a million miles an hour, I probably would kick her shin in defiance.

"Man handler," I muttered as I felt a finger push itself on the base of my skull. All the sudden, the shades of color disappeared and blackness overcame my vision. I felt myself go limp in Leah's scorching arms.

* * *

If being forced into unconsciousness was bad enough, think of waking up to the intelligent eyes of nearly twenty wolves.

Yeah, not so brave now.

To make it even worse, they were growling at a pair off to the side that were wrestling with each other. I saw tufts of sleek gray under a massive ball of sandy fur.

Leah and Seth.

I gulped and drew an unsteady breath, trying to clear my head. Everything of me was shaking and I could nearly feel the tears watering up my eyes. A massive black wolf glanced at me with interest before drawing closer. I was immobile, unable to get out of the way. It nudged my shoulder in a brotherly affection and licked my cheek. However, by then, I just wanted to die. It gave a whole new meaning to the words _being in the wolf's den_. I knew these were my friends, I knew they didn't want to hurt me, but I also knew what would happen if they did. And like before, I was scared.

Scared silly as my old neighbors would say.

Just then, everyone's attention reverted to the opposite side of the clearing. What were they all looking at? I guess my normal, mortal eyes were too faulty to see what was coming up. It didn't matter. My question was answered as soon as the first blob of white settled on the grass.

Alice Cullen.

The others appeared and soon there was a whole family of vampires standing right in front of me.

"He wants to know where Garrett and his mate are," Edward cleared his throat, staring into the eyes of the black wolf next to me.

"They are at the house," Carlisle explained. "There doesn't need to be any more trouble than necessary right now."

"Trouble?" A beautiful, blonde laughed maliciously. I dug my nails into the ground, wishing I was anywhere but here. "Just dispose of her, and we will be fine." A long finger was pointed into my direction.

A snarl erupted from behind me and I suddenly could see nothing but desert fur. "Seth! You're going to suffocate her," Bella's strained voice rang out.

"Damn it," Edward winced, either at his language or the thought, I didn't know. "They've fled to Canada," he informed all of us non-mind readers. A caramel-haired vampire on the doctor's right gasped. With that, the russet furred wolf disappeared into the trees and was back as an angry Jacob. The black wolf did the same.

It was Sam. Yeah, was _not _expecting that one.

A wet nose buried itself in my hair and I glared at the pitiful, chocolate brown eyes, resisting the urge to comfort. I tried moving closer to a spot that was not infested with shapeshifters. But of course, Seth followed me in attempts to redeem himself. I was covering up fear with anger. Bad tactic, I know.

"Someone's touchy," that evil leech spoke up again.

"Shut up, Blondie," Jacob snapped before turning to Carlisle and Edward. "What do you mean they've gone?"

"The obvious," Edward raised his eyebrows. "They're gone."

"You all are too dangerous here, we can't risk any more deaths." Sam's deep voice spoke out. Jacob rounded on him.

"Nessie is not leaving, Sam. And I'm not leaving La Push." Ah, the demon child. She was standing with her mother, crying. Probably thinking Jake was going away. The native seemed torn. I knew he wanted to go comfort her, but had to stay on his side of this little brawl.

"The only reason we haven't attacked is because of you, Jacob." Sam barked. The two appeared as if they wanted to strangle each other. I always wondered how they managed to have two packs at once. There would be too much tension and rivalry in my opinion. The Cullens looked uneasy. They should be. Stuck between a friendship with the fleeing cowards and alliance with the wolves was a position no one wanted to sit in.

Edward watched me intently with those dark amber eyes. I internally groaned. Great, now I needed to radar my thoughts. He then gave a fleeting look to a wolf to my left. I twisted and met the gaze of a gray wolf with dark spots.

"You have quite a soap opera on your hands," stupid bloodsucker seemed amused. "Wolf imprints on girl, girl is scared to death of him…" Seth whined and backed off a step or two. Thank you, Edward. "Then there's her whole history and how it links to the pack."

"Enough leech." Sam sharply told him. "Don't avoid the subject."

"There's nothing to discuss, we all know what has to happen now," Dr. Cullen rounded on the two werewolves. "It's a matter our family has talked about thoroughly, and although it against our personal morals, we feel it is the answer."

Ladies and gentlemen, drum roll, please.

Edward snorted at my little comment and waited for his creator to give the verdict.

"Garrett has been condemned."

"We already know he's a vampire for Christ's sake! He can't die again." I accidently grumbled. And since everyone but me had sensitive hearing, it probably sounded as if I shouted. Haha, not cool.

Carlisle Cullen's solemn face critically turned in my direction.

"To non-existence."

* * *

**Wow, that was hard to write. After a ton of thought, there weren't really any other options. No flames, pls :D Don't worry, more Seth/Tala interaction next chapter. Just had to get this part out before that. I will for sure try to get the next chapter out soon--it's just so hard trying to find time to write nowadays. I bet some of you guys can relate. Sorry for all the spelling errors/editing mistakes, like I said, I wanted to get this out quickly. I'll probably do as I usually do and go randomly change them after I update. **

**Anyway, please review! I honestly want to know what you guys thought...Feedback and critiques are ALWAYS welcome. **


	16. Joy, Back to the Prison

**Happy Thanksgiving (for all those who celebrate it)! This is my present to you. I honestly have no excuses. Well, besides the obvious. **

**School and writer's block.**

**Anyway, some of you guys were wondering why the Cullens were a little OOC. They seem a little colder etc. because this is all written in Tala's POV. If you haven't noticed already, she doesn't exactly like them. Anything they say she'll warp into her own understanding. Honestly, I love the vamps (maybe not as much as the werewolves…), but Tala is not based off me. She's her own character. Lol. **

**On w/ the chapter!**

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Sixteen:

* * *

"_Garrett has been condemned." _

"_We already know he's a vampire for Christ's sake! He can't die again." I accidently grumbled. And since everyone but me had sensitive hearing, it probably sounded as if I shouted. Haha, not cool. _

_Carlisle Cullen's solemn face critically turned in my direction._

"_To non-existence."_

* * *

The droplets attacked me as soon as I threw on my shower. I let the scorching water hit my back for a few moments before turning the knob down.

The thoughts I was trying to avoid throttled me as I reached for the shampoo.

The wolves _weren't_ going to stop until the vampire was killed---I could tell that much. Right after the uplifting announcement of the bloodsucker's pending death, I pretty much ditched the meeting. Well, if I was being honest with myself, ditch isn't exactly the right word---it's more like fled.

Jacob had to hold back Seth from following me. Wolf-man style.

My hands fumbled with the slippery bottle as I cursed the world. They needed to make the container water-proof or something to keep the stupid thing from falling! Wasn't that the whole point of inventions and technology?

I scared myself by giving off an evil laugh. As if life could get any worse.

The murder of Garrett wasn't exactly at the top of _my_ to-do list. I had other priorities to deal with. My dad had officially laid down the rules of thumb with me actually pretending to listen. The list went like this.

No drugs and alcohol, no blowing off school, no boys, no late nights, no fun, no life.

Awesome, right? La Push was turning into more of a prison instead of the safe haven that I'd previously envisioned.

School. I internally groaned while trying to massage the ocean-scented conditioner into my hair. My challenge of the day. After this relaxing past-time, I had to get dressed and trudge my butt up to Sam and Emily's house to get a ride to that horror. Oddly enough, they were only a few minutes away from here and my dad conveniently had an early meeting today.

I bet my cousin planned that somehow.

My vision started blurring as I stared at my shower's drain, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. Everything was dead quiet. It had been a long time since I'd actually sung. I _used_ to belt out Broadway tunes or tried to dance in the small cubicle. Not anymore. I stopped all the sudden, and I have no idea why.

I just didn't feel like it.

* * *

"Are you ready? I told your father that Sam would drop you off and…" Emily chattered away to empty air. Like I said before, it was my first day at the Quileute Tribal School, home to the population of less than 100 students ranging from kindergarten to twelfth grade.

Nobody can deny that I didn't research.

I stared into open space. It was if my ears were stuck with cotton---everything was muffled and unfocused. Needless to say, I was off in la la land already. In other words, freaking about school. I heard what happened to Bella when she first came to Forks. The guys were joking about it earlier this morning, trying to scare me.

Well, it worked.

I prayed to any higher power that my day would _not_ be like that. When all the focus was on me. Going was bad enough, and just to add, it did not help that the tribal school reopened for the year when I was in the process of moving. It made the whole situation a little more miserable.

_Coming in the middle of things_, was a bullet that would never be on my agenda willingly.

"Let's go," a deep voice said from behind me. I completely ignored it, trying to figure out if I had all my supplies. It didn't like that. A flaming, hot hand touched my back and I flinched, jolting back to reality. Sam was gazing down on me with a brotherly concern that I had never seen in him before. I was just his cousin. Nothing more and nothing less. Right?

"Em, Jacob and his gang are probably going to be dropping by soon for food to eat on the road. They've decided they want to check out the Peninsula College courses."

I guess him and Jake had made up already.

"Why're they going there the normal way?" I questioned him, getting choked off by a blueberry muffin that Emily stuffed into my mouth. Sam rolled his eyes at me.

"We _try_ to be normal, Tala. It's also called keeping up appearances."

I snorted. "What appearance? I'm sure the whole village has heard you guys howling at night. I sure have."

"Where exactly?" My cousin raised his eyebrow in curiosity. I'd been on the reservation for a whole two nights and was already having restless sleep thanks to the long, mournful howls outside my window. Why hadn't anyone else complained before? That noise would make even the sanest of persons want to pull their hair out.

"The southern side of the house, the direction of…" I internally groaned and a smirk appeared on his face.

Dammit, Seth.

"Looks like someone's getting some perspective."

"Looks like someone getting some perspective," I mimicked. "Can it, Sam. Let's just go." With that, I stomped out of the house towards Sam's beat-up truck.

"If you just talked to him, you'd realize he was never trying to hurt you." He told me as his angular body somehow squished itself enough to fit in the seat.

"And if I'd wanted advice from Dr. Sam, I'd find myself a better psychiatrist." I folded my arms and Sam made another eye roll.

Five minutes later.

"Tala, maybe I should go in and help with the paperwork." Creases formed on my face. What did he take me for? I was not a little kid being sent off to pre-k.

"I'll manage by myself, thanks." He caught my belligerent mood and exhaled noisily.

"Why are you always ready for a fight?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Maybe it's in my genes then, since my cousin is a freakin' werewolf."

"Shapeshifter," he corrected automatically.

"Like it matters," I shot back, eyes glowing. I groped around my pockets, searching for my iPod. My escape.

"Looking for something?" Sam dangled it in front of nose. So much for the rule, keep both hands on the wheel. I grabbed uselessly for the mp3 player. But surprise, it disappeared.

"Your dad wanted you to be social today." The idiot explained, smirking. Since when did my dad and Sam talk?

"Who said that I was never going to be social?"

"He told me you threatened him with that after slamming the door in his face," Sam replied smugly. Stupid werewolf. Stupid father.

Stupid life.

At the corner of my eye, I saw Sam's favorite questioning look. "What? Are you going to ask me how I feel like a real shrink?" I retorted, giving him a full glare.

"Someone really is in a bad mood today," he chuckled. "Do you wanna explain why?"

"Buzz off," I growled and glanced out the window and it was…you guessed it, raining. We were going at a snail's pace---extremely slow for a guy with fast reflexes. Great, he was stalling. On purpose. I counted to three in my head, trying to keep myself from screaming. "What do you want, Sam?" My voice was laced with venom in that creepy calm way. It's safe to say that Sam looked bemused.

"To go to the office with you."

"No."

"It'll make you get into class faster."

I scoffed. Really? He just gave me total bullshit. "Right, like that's my exact dream at the moment. Why do you even care?"

"Tal, I'm your cousin, I'm required to care." I noticed Sam got a little bit more edgy, his beefy hands clenching the feeble material that people call a steering device.

"You're going to take off the wheel," I pointed out sweetly, putting my feet up to annoy him even more. Let's just say safety was the least of my worries.

"Fine, I'll get Seth to do it. He's already there." I froze. Rewind. He'd get who to do what? The jerk was already proudly pulling out a piece of metal, pushing the small buttons with a smirk. Damn, now what?

A light bulb went off, and I acted on a very stupid idea.

My door flew open, and I bolted out of the car. I was going to have to run the 500 yards that kept me from the school's entrance.

* * *

I guess Sam was faster than I thought.

I had no idea what this so called important matter was, but if it meant messing with Sam, then I was game. My mood lightened immensely---this would be fun. My cousin needed to lighten up and learn to not keep secrets from me. I'd figure them out sooner or later. Mentally double-checking that I had my backpack, I tried to not flush when I saw everyone's faces turn towards me.

Me---the weird running girl that looked more like a drowned cat.

I burst through the wooden doors and darted in the direction I thought the office was. I really needed to stop, thinking when I didn't know. Seriously. Five wrong turns later I ended smack in the middle of the cafeteria. Now for sure I was a spectacle.

"Sam," I heard a low voice coming from outside. "I can't find her! Her scent is everywhere, but the rain…Wait, hold on a second, I think maybe---" My heart fluttered as I saw a door near the end of the room start to open. I had no idea why I could hear him so clearly. Then again, he was my soulmate. Maybe we had this freaky listening bond. I wildly let my eyes zoom for the nearest exit, finding it difficult as I met the curious brown of each of the local natives.

Crap, nowhere to hide.

I did not want to talk to Seth right now. I wasn't even sure if I even wanted to be near him. Well, scratch that. My heart yearned to, but my mind was blocking that power. I ended up quickly following some random person out, trying my luck again in the narrow hallways of the Quileute Tribal School.

"So you're the troublemaker," a stern somebody stated from behind me. My heart froze and I whirled around, coming face to face with Brady. The corners of his mouth were twitching as if he were trying to hold in a smile. "The whole school is already gossiping about you, wild girl. Looking for something?"

"Office," I managed to squeak, trying to calm myself down. "What're you doing here?"

Brady just rolled his eyes. "Sophomore, remember? I go to school too."

"Right…" I gave him a scan over, realizing he did look a bit on the young side. In my defense, all of the werewolves were deceiving---they seemed as if they were twenty!

"Office is down that hall to the left. Can't miss it. Mrs. Akara adores her welcome sign." Brady sighed, pointing the way as if it were a chore. Seth was so going to yell at him in a few seconds. I scrambled away with a quick word of thanks before I'd have to witness _that_ scene.

He was right. Mrs. Whoever really did have a quirky taste. The door had neon pink words flashing at me, spelling _Welcome_. I was really, really stupid---how could anyone miss this?

"Oh, you must be Miss Eskridge! Please, come in!"

Why did the weird lady just call me by my mother's maiden name?

I closed the bright door behind me as I stepped into the quaint, homey office. There were tons of papers spread out on the woman's desk. Hopefully one of them was my schedule. She was rotund with long black hair hanging down loosely by her shoulders. Her dark eyes stared at me from behind those purple spectacles---as if they were watching my every move.

Creepy.

"Tala! I hear you're Sam's long lost cousin. How's that going for you?" She beamed, trying to make conversation. At least they got something right.

"Umm good, thanks." I mumbled, my fingers fiddling with my hair in attempts to tame it.

"I'm so glad he's got another family member, I always did like his mother's side. Father's side, well, that's a story I'm sure you've heard about. I mean his dad, a cheater? A drunk? No one knows, and then there is the whole lawsuit with his uncle about the murder of his aunt." Mrs. Akara chitchatted on. She was obviously a stereotypical gossiper. My stomach dropped at the sound of my dad's name.

"….they claim it was wolves. But, we all know it wasn't. I don't know how that lawyer won the case." By then, my face was sheen white. What was she talking about? Not wolves? I was obviously missing a dead-on implication. No wonder Sam wanted to come into the office with me. They registered me with a different surname on purpose. To avoid rumors like this.

What had my father gotten himself into?

A small part of me whispered thoughts of treason. What if it wasn't a rumor? Maybe it was true…I shook my head, trying to whip out those lies. I attempted to force my mouth into forming a smile at the suddenly quiet secretary. When that didn't work, I nodded as if in agreement. Satisfied, the woman dug through some papers, managing to come up with a map and my time table. Forms weren't needed, she said. The school was just small enough without then. I grabbed those sheets as if they were my life, and stumbled out of the room.

Mrs. Thompson, room ten. English III Honors.

Since when was _that_ on my schedule? I swear I had never asked for that particular class back in Texas…

Dad again.

Was he _trying_ to make my life difficult?

To make it even better, the class had already started. My motto was useless. I awkwardly leaned near the entrance, waiting for the teacher to notice me. She did finally after a lot of eye scrambles from the students. Great, another factor to add in. I could act insecure and obsess over if they liked me etc. But at this moment in time, I just did not care. I would get the butterflies tomorrow and stress over it then. Not now though.

"Miss Eskridge? Nice to finally meet you! Do you want to say a few words about yourself?" She smiled warmly and led me to the middle of the cramped classroom.

"Not really," I muttered under my breath, causing a guy near me to strike a grin.

"Hi," I started. "I'm Tala. Umm, I came from Texas." I bit my lip. What do I say now? That my dad might be a part of a murder? That mythical creatures walked La Push? I decided on something a bit more generic. "And no people, we do _not_ ride on horses with cowboy hats in a hot desert. And…" I tried wracking my brain for something useless to say. (You always had to have that in introductions.) "I used to live here when I was younger."

That's pretty much how it went with all my classes till lunch.

I came, introduced myself, and then sat down. A few people tried talking to me, but they all got shut up by our instructors. Passing period was too short to even say, "hi." Three steps and you were at your next class. I again grumbled at my awful sense of direction. How did I even get lost in this place?

"Wanna sit next to us, Tala?" A perky pig-tailed girl rushed out, stumbling over my name. Who did she say she was again? Kate? Laura? Alex?

"Caitlin, over here!" Wow, it's safe to say that I have a bad memory. A tall Quileute boy was waving her over to a table in the far corner of the lunch room. They looked oddly similar---fraternal twins, I concluded.

"Sure," I replied a little too brightly. At least I'd try to make the most out of this hellhole. I followed her through the lunch line and got a pre-wrapped sandwich and some water. She scrunched her nose at my selections, grabbing a burger and fries.

"You're not one of those health freaks, are you?" She inquired on the way sitting down. Yeah, right. Me and health food equals _no bueno_.

"I'm just too nervous to eat," I confessed sheepishly. "First day of school and all." She patted my shoulder in reassurance and stationed me across from her so we could chat. Perfect. Maybe I did want to be anti-social…just for awhile until this "new student" fame died down.

"So, what made you want to move to La Push?"

Yippee, question time.

"Father's idea," I quickly answered. "So what's the deal around here? Anything I should know?" I might as well get something out of this. Caitlin's eyes lit up and she filled me in on La Push's secrets.

"Well, we have a gang. There's a ton of them, mostly in the younger grades. But, I swear, they could pass as teachers. They usually sit over…there," my sight trailed to two tables on the opposite side. The werewolves were falling over the brim. There must've been more than twelve of them trying to sit in those kid-sized chairs. Food was obviously plentiful and in the process of being gorged down by the giant pigs. I coughed loudly to disguise my laugh---my eyes involuntarily searching for a familiar face. Most of them were the newbies Sam was training, but I thought I saw Collin and Brady in the mix somewhere.

"Hey, Tala right? My name's Adam." The same boy from earlier greeted me.

Caitlin rolled her eyes. "Don't even try flirting with her bro, apparently she's already taken." My head snapped to her as I tried to figure out what she meant. "Seth's been telling all the guys off for obsessing over you," Caitlin told me freely. "I didn't know you guys were an item. He's part of that gang---the elite."

What was I supposed to say to that? Yeah Caitlin, we're an item. But we're not just boyfriend and girlfriend---we are soulmates that are supposed to be madly in love with each other.

"I-I don't really know where we are actually. I met him a few weeks ago, my dad and his dad were good friends."

"Figure it out soon, 'cause he's coming this way." She giggled, stuffing some fries in her mouth.I frowned and searched the room. Where was he? My heart started thumping erratically when I caught those pleading, chocolate brown orbs of his. I felt my resolve start to crumble with every step he took towards me.

Shit.

"Be right back," I muttered to Caitlin as I jumped up from my chair. My plan was to avoid Seth altogether and reach the door.

No such luck.

I got my hand right up on the metal handle of the exit----only to be thwarted by burning arms.

"Tala, we need to talk." Seth latched his hand on my elbow and gently pulled me away from my escape door. I wrestled out of his grip and avoided the immediate intense stare.

"Nothing to talk about." I viciously muttered under my breath and began to walk back towards my destination. But of course muscle man had to stop me yet again.

"Yes, there is." His voice rang out defiantly.

"No there's not."

"Yes, there is."

"Nope, now let go of me," I accidently let my eyes roam free and caught sight of the vulnerable puppy look he was modeling. It took every ounce of boldness in me to keep my composure and mindset. "There-is-nothing-to-discuss, Seth. Now keep your dirty tricks to yourself." I spat, turning away from him, trying to ignore all the weird looks we were getting.

"Dirty tricks?"

Oh great. He was _amused_ now. Dumb werewolf.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" I hissed. A sly grin appeared on his face. "So you do want to talk?"

"Yes. I mean no. I mean…" My ability to think was becoming clouded thanks to Seth's presence. I rushed my hand through my hair, trying to concentrate.

"Stop," he put his finger to my lips. "Follow me." He tried taking my hand, but I shook it off, determined to keep my head. Shrugging almost sadly, Seth briskly moved past me. I sauntered after him, wondering where the heck he was going.

It wasn't till I realized we were leaving school premises when I thought to put my foot down.

"Seth, where the hell are you taking me?" We were into the first round of trees now, him going quicker than ever.

"Here," and he stopped right in the middle of a clearing.

"Where's here?" My eyebrow rose. Why was I even giving him the time of day? Oh, right. I remember. Because even I can feel those invisible ropes that tie us together. They're unbeatable.

Seth didn't answer. Instead, he began stripping down. First his shoes, his shirt, then…

"What are you doing?" I sounded horrified. Already my feet were backing me up towards safety. He reached for me, and without effort, pulled me in again.

His dark eyes connected with mine.

"I'm going to earn back your trust."

* * *

**Ahh finally. So what do you think? Hopefully I'm not too rusty---I haven't written fiction (aka Tala's story) in a month. I hoped I got her emotions right (as well as my grammar mistakes). I know what it's like to go into a new school…but like I said, she has a total different personality…she def. handled it differently than I did. Is Seth stupid or reasonable? What's up w/ Tala's dad and the so called rumours? THEORIES ppl. **

**Ohhh, I finally updated my community that I'm manager of, so go check it out. Tons of imprint stories for all you werewolf lovers…everything except J/R fanfic (I put my foot down there). Sorry to all the subscribers! I know your inbox was packed with updates, mine certainly was. If you have a werewolf imprint story that isn't in there, please PM me so I can add it. **

**Anyway, please review! I honestly want to know what you guys thought...Feedback and critiques are ALWAYS welcome. **


	17. No, I'm Not Taking Steroids, Coach

**I have officially lost my respect for Microsoft Word....just kidding, but it hates me. Chapter 17 lost. So here's a rewrite....grrrr, turned out a bit different than the first time around for sure. I had to download the Open Office thingy that this site let's us do...wayy better than Notepad, that's for sure. **

**Merry Christmas! Presenting the longg awaited update. **

**Ohh and I'm doing the unthinkable (to get over a hard case of writer's block). I am giving us a quick lovely view of Seth's mind, yay!**

**Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review: D **

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**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Seventeen:

* * *

_Seth didn't answer. Instead, he began stripping down. First his shoes, his shirt, then… _

"_What are you doing?" I sounded horrified. Already my feet were backing me up towards safety. He reached for me, and without effort, pulled me in again._

_His dark eyes connected with mine._

"_I'm going to earn back your trust."_

* * *

**Seth's POV:**

Her pupils widened with fear and her heart started pounding.

Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea after all.

Emily had warned me that my "oh so awesome" tactics would most likely fall flat. The guys had just gaffed and said to let her come to me. I ignored them all, thinking that things might go according to the plan...at least a little bit anyway.

How very wrong I was.

She wasn't supposed to act like this! My plan was to phase and have her become accustomed to my wolf form so she wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. It would benefit everyone. Sam's pack had been keeping low with her in mind. Not that it mattered. I just got busted for howling at her window every night, hoping she would come out.

All I wanted was for her to trust me again---ever since that incident in Texas she'd been avoiding me.

And it hurt. A lot.

Imagine heartburn. It's kind of like that, but multiplied and in the emotional pain category. I wasn't going to kill that idiot, I swear. Just teach him a thing or two about how to talk to people a quadrillion times smarter than him. I probably should have kept to my human form though.

Standing in my cut-offs, I watched the girl I love shrink from me. And I internally groaned.

What was I supposed to do? It's not like I could force her to accept me. Sam warned all of us about this when we joined his pack. Though, in my defense, I didn't know what else to do. Tala wasn't like the others. Kim thought that Jared's wolf form was, I quote, "cute," and well, Rachel and the others were sort of the same.

It was pretty obvious that Tal didn't like wolves. At all.

So far, she'd nearly had a heart attack every time one of us got near her—even me, her imprint. I was supposed to be the one she couldn't resist! The only reason she didn't die in the pack meeting the other day was because...well, she wasn't even totally coherent thanks to Leah. I can't believe my sister took her by force! She knew that the love of my life's biggest phobia was us. Then Edward...

Sometimes I wish I were a mind reader, then I can figure out how what's going through that perfect brain of hers.

Maybe then...wait, there's an idea.

Get Edward to tell me.

Probably better than going "wolf" on her like I originally planned. I mean, so much for that attempt. Now that I thought about it, she would for sure go running, and then where would we be? I knew she trusted my human form in general (not including recent events), but my animal one Tala certainly wasn't too keen on.

She had a lot coming for her.

Now to figure out how to get her close enough to the Cullens...

* * *

**Tala's POV:**

"Should've just listened to Em," he muttered as he put back on his shoes. I stood frozen to my spot, unable to believe what had just happened. One moment he was ready to phase and scare the crap out of me and the next he...reconsidered?

Luck was on my side today.

Sadly, my body was not. It wanted to stay with Seth while my mind was telling me to go.

Guess which one won?

"You're going the wrong way," his voice playfully called out as I headed back towards the school. Wow, he recovered fast. I huffed and changed course.

"Tala?"

_Don't turn, don't turn, don't turn._

I turned.

Seth walked up to me hesitantly, unsure of where we stood. I tensed for a second, then let my shoulders relax. I was going to have to have this convo sometime or other, may as well get it over with now.

"I'm sorry." His hand rushed through his short inky hair nervously while his expression was distorted with pain. I wanted to hug him right then and there, however, that would kind of defeat the whole purpose of staying strong.

"Just...just, I don't know," I felt like punching a tree. What was I supposed to say? I want to be with you though I fear you at the same time?

Not going to happen.

"I can't---my mom, I...memories," I coughed up the rest of my gibberish. Seth's chocolate eyes softened, and that stupid passionate look increased.

Great, just great.

"Maybe you should talk to your dad, Tal," he reverted his gaze. Right, first thing on my agenda. Have a cup of tea with my father to talk about my mother's demise. Best idea of the year. Seth exhaled noisily in exasperation. I could tell he had a specific plan (which back-fired somehow) in mind when he dragged me out into the middle of nowhere. Now, he seemed way less confident of his abilities to win me over.

Sadly, he was doing it anyway without trying.

Damn.

I was weak.

You know that lame excuse people use to get out of awkward situations? Yeah, well, I used it.

"Would you look at the time?" I faked. "Class starts in five, so if you wouldn't mind telling me where the hell we are, then I'll be leaving..." His eyebrows rose at my weak attempt of humor and choked down a laugh.

"I'll just show you, we didn't go that far out." He gave up any notion of trying to woo me (if that was what he was doing) and bade me to follow him. We reached the lovely prison in a record of three minutes. It seemed he took the long way to get here. "Have a good class!" Seth gave me a good-natured wave while taking off towards his next subject.

What I had failed to tell him was that I had a free period, which by the way, is not good when you're in a new school.

Thank the Lord for Caitlin.

"You seem to be in a better mood," she observed as she ushered me into a hidden courtyard. I smiled as if bemused, just waiting for her to scream 'Dish the details!'

But she didn't.

Odd, at lunch she seemed to be the gossipy type. You know, the girl that spreads rumors about everyone and then eats them up for breakfast.

"One more period to go!" she squealed, trying to make me feel more comfortable. Here? Like that's even possible. When she got no response out of me, she fell silent and trudged her way through the mud towards a seat. I looked around, the place was deserted. It was like a cemetery, but instead of headstones there were round King Arthur tables and medieval benches. Noticing my confusion, Caitlin grinned. Now I would have to start talking.

"So..." I bit my lip. "Stone?"

"Well, it rains a lot, and wood traditionally would've been used, but stone is a bit more durable."

The words flowed through my head and I said, "Why is there even a courtyard? I mean, it _rains_ and this is _outside_."

"I don't honestly know. There's some wolf ballad about it, 'keep your young in the open,' or something like that. It's not like it matters." Her reddish-brown skin crinkled as if she were trying to remember something. "But nobody comes out here. Ever. They prefer to ogle each other through windows." I blinked, what was the creativity in that? "At the moment, the gym one is most popular. Apparently, the girl's bathroom is not as safe as we thought. Guess I'll have to change somewhere else now---wouldn't want the guys to get too big of a view."

Caitlin sighed dramatically. I'd say she was probably already planning her next moves in physical education.

"Too bad Cordy isn't here today, she would have wanted to welcome you." The Quileute girl mused out loud. "That girl is sick with the flu again, and here I thought she would be immune by now."

"She's got all year," I emphasized with my hands. Great, now I would have to befriend---if that was what I was even doing---a new person. Wasn't one enough?

We spent our whole free after that attempting to do homework (like that was going to happen) while maneuvering around conversation. Me trying to avoid, her trying to initiate. The only mildly interesting fact that came up was that nobody but the "elite" as Caitlin called it, really cared about the legends. They were myth, non-fact, just something to add on to the heritage.

"I mean, sure, cool our ancestors thought the Cold Ones existed...but whatever." Caitlin managed to say while trying to balance a pencil on her nose. Yes, we were _that_ bored. I was almost tempted at that point to go search the windows for Seth.

"What about wolves?" I questioned while digging for any type of cleaning utensil out of my bag. My pen has just exploded all over my hands....I guess I just clenched it too hard.

"What about them? We respect them yadda yadda yah, but just because it's required. You can't kill them or anything. The last time someone did that was nearly a decade ago, trying to cover up the murder of his wife. Safe to say they left." My mouth gaped open, but Cailtin said no more on the topic. Instead, she began grumbling about how the population of the beasts had increased and that her cover-up wasn't going to disguise all the purple circles under her eyes for much longer.

Free period finally ended twenty minutes later.

* * *

I glanced at my schedule and tried to cover a groan. Gym. Ironic. I stumbled along the path to a small building in the corner of the school. It was as big as my house back in Texas, maybe with an additional square foot or two. First thing I noticed was that the benches, my usual safe haven, were crammed in the back, trying to make way for the barely sizable court.

Joy. This would be fun.

"Eskridge! Is there an Eskridge here today?" A booming voice called out. I did a one-eighty and found myself staring into the dark black eyes of a stocky man. If I didn't know better, I would say he was a full-bred werewolf.

Nope, stereotypical gym teacher.

I managed to force my mouth open. "Here."

He did a full body scan of me and his grim look turned a little hopeful. "What sport do you play?"

"Umm none? I'm not much of an athlete."

He winced noticeably. "You're not one of _them_, are you? I have a hard enough time trying to tell the others to pipe it down a notch. This is the only period that isn't infested."

"No, I'm not," I blurted out defensively, knowing perfectly well who he was referring to.

The elite.

Hate to disappoint, but I was no werewolf. I count my lucky stars on that one. What a trip to hell that would be.

"Never mind." He waved off his previous question and began. "I'm Coach Ateara, welcome to P.E. We're starting off with volleyball, then later going into basketball, soccer...." He went on for at least another two minutes describing my worst nightmares.

"You can sit out today, but you'll need to bring basketball shorts and a loose-fitting t-shirt for next class. Got it?" I nodded inattentively, already eye-balling the sweet relief of the plastic puke-colored benches. That, sadly, was not in Coach's agenda.

"Before you do that, I want to check something." He glanced at my jeans and sweatshirt ensemble and nodded to himself. "That'll be fine. I need you to run around the court twice for me. Since you missed the trials the other day, we'll be wanting to get a time for you to beat at the end of the year. Push-ups and sit-ups tomorrow."

He really, really wanted to annoy me. Oh well, it could be worse. At my old school, we had to run two miles every day. I usually just walked them with the rest of the girls. This was less than a quarter mile---I could do it. I looked around quickly, making sure that there was no one to humiliate myself in front of. A new love for those windows in the locker rooms came upon me.

"Go!" A sudden voice interrupted my thought process. My feet started moving automatically and I found myself sprinting. In less than thirty seconds, I was already in the middle of my second lap.

What. The. Hell.

I suddenly felt sick and lurched to my feet in front of Coach Ateara. Angry was a mild word to describe his expression. The guy was furious.

"Sit," he spat, gritting his teeth. "Quil!"

Quil? The same Quil I knew? I searched the room in a fruitless attempt to find the teenager. The coach was just venting, I suppose. Another weird habit of this small school. On the way to the benches, I slyly flipped open my cell and was startled to find that I had missed three calls and five texts from Becca.

_OMG! I just heard what happened from Zach! U attacked him? _

Are you freaking serious? He gave them that crap? I scrolled down to read the others.

_He says ur boyfriend turned into a wolf....maybe we should offer him up to Amy's "institute." _

I chuckled to myself. A few years back, Amy had followed up on her odd notion that both Becca and I were mad by making an "institute" for the mentally insane (aka us—we were in our 'let's play matchmaker' phase). It was an inside joke that involved a lot of oatmeal throwing and random séances. I grinned. I had visited that little place (a dark corner in Amy's house) quite a few times.

_I need answers! I can't believe ur not answering. _

_TAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAA!_

_I will come to Le Plush w/ a shovel and beat u until u talk to me. _

Well, someone was getting a little violent. I rolled my eyes at her obvious grammatical error. Guess I wouldn't be getting any care packages anytime soon. The girl couldn't even spell my new home right. I quickly typed up an answer before she could accuse me of forgetting her. _Beck, I'm fine, Zach's crazy and needs to be taken in. _

Ugh, he deserved every little hate, that insensitive jerk. Thanks to an out of proportion fantasy, I'd pretty much disconnected with Seth and all what he entailed.

_He was drunk and tried kissing me, I hve no idea where he got the wolf from. _

I clicked the send button, and sighed. Why did life seem so complicated?

* * *

Let's take a big long guess who picked me up from school.

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Sam.

He better be glad that I had calmed down since this morning. If I hadn't, he'd be getting a mouthful of profanities from me about my status of Miss Eskridge. Nope, I saved that lovely conversation to have with my father. Funny, everything that happened to me in this small place so far seemed to revolve around him.

"Dad!" I hollered as the screen door slammed behind me. I found him in the master bedroom unloading photographs. He took one look at me and panicked. "Pititchu, calm down. Let's talk in another room." He set his project down and added, "Where there are no breakables."

Shaking, I stomped my way to the living room and sat stiffly on a chair. The man cautiously walked in assessing my mood.

"So," I started with a creepy calm voice. "I went to the office today to get my schedule. And weirdly I was not Tala Uley, but Tala Eskridge. Wonder how that happened." The sarcasm flowed easily in my words. He answered nothing until I sent him a burning glare.

"Wasn't Sam going to handle all the paperwork?" He hopelessly threw out, his hands nervously twitching.

"He was," I stated. "But, I beat him to it. It's not like he has any control over me."

"Yet," My father half whispered to himself. I almost grilled him, but decided against it. No way would Sam _ever_ be able to influence me---not until all hell broke loose and my head was under a Guillotine.

"Then, the receptionist mentioned murder and wolves, care to explain _that_?"

Again, his mouth was like a fish's---open and not answering.

I stood up and walked over to him, taking on a more pathetic tone. Maybe this would crack him. "What are you keeping from me? What is so bad that you don't want to share? I'm sixteen, Dad! How long are you planning on hiding this?"

It was like cornering someone. I was the bully, he was the victim. My father just stared at me for several long seconds before replying, "Nothing, Tala. I'm not hiding anything."

BS.

"Why the hell do you keep lying to me? It can't be that bad!" I nearly screamed at him in anger. He watched my figure hesitantly before finally taking on his "father" role.

"Language, Pititchu! I did not raise you to say words like that! And, I am not lying. If things are meant to be kept unknown, then they are kept _unknown_. I merely changed your name because I felt it would be better for the both of us, maybe help you remember your mom a little bit more. Nothing else. Do you understand?" If he _honestly_ thought I believed him, then he was daft. Before I had time to respond (calling him on his blasphemy, mind you), the doorbell rang.

Of course. How typical.

We both participated in a glowering contest before my dad just gave up and sauntered to answer the front door. When he opened it, I was granted the view of a tall middle aged woman who was slight in shape and styling the longest black hair I'd ever seen. She smiled nervously and held out brownies. "I'm your next-door neighbor, Jackie Call. I just wanted to wel---"

Her plate dropped to the ground as she realized who she was speaking to.

"Peter!?"

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**Well, it's safe to say that took me some time to put up. Weirdly, I feel bad for Tala's dad, he thought she would umm "shift" on us for a sec there. Hehe wonder why the major surprise reaction at the end...Soo how'd you like it? Seth's POV: yes or no? Do you want me to write a little blurb from his eyes every now and then, or keep it in our vastly confused protagonist's eyes? **

**Hopefully, this chapter was little better than the last...but who knows? Oh, and I couldn't help putting Coach Ateara in there, I mean, the guy is not even acknowledged in any of the books. We know about Old Quil (Quil's grandfather), Young Quil, but no in the middle Quil. And Seth..ahh so naive, going to the Cullens is probably the last thing on Tala's list.**

**Anyway, please review! I honestly want to know what you guys thought...Feedback and critiques are ALWAYS welcome. **


	18. Never Let Your Dad Play With A Piñata

**Whoah, 383 reviews....I'm soooo excited. Thanks for all those who have been reviewing, alerting, etc. You guys are seriously the best. When I first started out, I was just happy to get some feedback per chapter....Ok, well this is earlier than usual :D Here's the tally for Seth/Tala POV's…with an occasional Seth POV: 7 votes …and for all Tala, I have 2. I shortened the chapter a bit so I can focus on one pivotal scene. So, have fun reading….**

**Enjoy and don't forget to review! I love feedback like any other author.**

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**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Eighteen

* * *

_We both participated in a glowering contest before my dad just gave up and sauntered to answer the front door. When he opened it, I was granted the view of a tall middle aged woman who was slight in shape and styling the longest black hair I'd ever seen. She smiled nervously and held out brownies. "I'm your next-door neighbor, Jackie Call. I just wanted to wel---"_

_Her plate dropped to the ground as she realized who she was speaking to._

"_Peter!?"_

* * *

Well, she won the awards in the category of "most terrified." The stricken woman's face drained till it was as pale as the Cullen's. And that's saying something. My dad's mouth just dropped and they both stared at each other for a long minute in shock.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" She wailed out, interrupting the silence. Her face went from vampire white to and russet red in less than a second. "They knew! They knew that we---" she coughed off the phrase. "First, Embry and now you? I don't understand why this is happening to me!"

Embry? What the hell did Embry have to do with this? Speaking of the devil…

"Mom!" A voice echoed from the woods. "Mom! Wait, don't go there." Embry appeared head first out from behind the trees and ran half-way to our house before he realized that it was too late. The two parents jerked out of their "moment" and watched as the teen stood there, debating whether to go on. I had half a mind to go join him, but then I figured I would miss all the drama.

"Get away from her," he snarled, making up his mind. Embry then trekked up to our front step and went right in front of his mother. He was so close that I could smell the pine trees on him.

"You don't understand!" Jackie Call's muffled words undaunted the werewolf as he stood menacingly over my dad. I glanced at the man who nurtured me through the years. He looked worried. Not scared, not petrified, but worried. What was wrong with the world?

"What's going on?" I finally demanded. Nobody responded. I rolled my eyes. "She came to the door herself, so move." I directed my command toward Embry, hoping some flicker of emotion other than rage would appear on his face. He looked at me and his eyes softened, but still did not yield.

This was stupid. I wasn't going to let some guy try to scare my dad away for no good reason. "Embry, get your ass off my step."

That did it.

It was like a domino reaction. Jackie broke through her son's barrier somehow and into my dad's arms, Embry started quivering like mad, and I got shoved in the mix.

"It's true," he managed to state, before making a run toward the trees. I wiggled out of the door and ran after the native. I had questions and he had answers. However, it was a futile attempt---he was faster than me. I groaned and just walked back to my house, trying to ignore the far off wolf calls Embry made while talking to his pack.

Jackie wasn't there when I came back. Instead, my dad was back in the master bedroom, sorting the photos again. He looked longingly at a couple and threw them back into the box. I caught a glimpse of mom's face on one of them.

He was angry.

"Dad? Who was that?" I lounged near the entrance of the room. I was treading water, but I still wanted to know.

"Who she said she was, Pititchu." His roughness surprised me, and for a brief moment, I thought that maybe I should just leave him alone. Sadly, that wasn't my style. And he knew it.

"And who's that dad? Jackie Call, next door neighbor. Or Jackie Call, mysterious person of the past?" He grunted, answering neither. Annoyed, I pestered him a bit more. "So, I'm guessing Embry's her son. Why was she so upset about seeing you? Why did he try to protect her?"

No response.

Getting even closer, I pulled the last straw. "What did _you_ do?"

His head turned, smoke pouring out of his ears. "Tala, go to your room, _now_! You're grounded there until I tell you that you can come out."

"Why am I being punished for wanting to know?" My fierce voice shot back. I was _not_ being grounded for something I didn't do. Sadly, when my dad meant grounded, he meant grounded. No take backs.

"Go," was his only word. Yeah right. Before I could move towards the door, he swiftly passed me and stood in the way. "To your room!" Fine, I would just sneak out the windows.

"Sam's watching to make sure you don't escape," he told me. Like I would believe that. I stomped to my new prison and slammed the door hard. Life was so unfair. Turning up the music loudly, I let some hard metal fill my ears. I hope he was happy. So much for the "how was your first day of school" talk.

My brain started making escape plans. If what he said was true, I could….my eyes drooped slightly. I was so tired from moving, school, and life maybe I would just take a fifteen minute nap. Nap—the word sounded good on my tongue. I smiled and shut out the noise coming from my speakers…

* * *

I woke up because of the howling. It was loud, mournful, and just plain annoying. Wearily opening my eyes, I glanced at the clock. How long was I out?

3 A.M.

I jumped out of my bed, and for the first time in days, caught my reflection in the mirror. My dark hair was all over the place, my skin looked unhealthily light, and my tawny eyes were crusted with sleep.

Brilliant.

I never liked mirrors, never really cared for them. I didn't want to see what my dad had to be reminded of everyday. _Her_. Occasionally, I double-checked and made sure I was decent for a special event etc. But other than that, I pretty much ignored them and hid them under sheets. Which reminded me, why wasn't this one covered?

Dad.

No matter how much I hated him sometimes, he still, sadly, had a place in my heart. No amount of secrets or deceit could keep me from loving him. I noticed that he turned the music off and put a cover over me sometime in the night as well. My heart just heaved more. I rolled my eyes and glanced at the evil reflection again.

And I panicked.

My friends, Coach Ateara...they were all right. I did look different. My body was more toned than usual and it did appear like I had grown an inch or two. I mean, I knew something was happening, but I figured they were talking about a normal growth spurt. I was told that my mom didn't stop growing until she was going into her first year of college. But this was different…I seemed older, more mature.

Like Leah.

The thought increased my worry even more. This was not good, definitely not good. I paced back and forth, trying to ignore the howls of my lover. Why wouldn't he just shut up? I got his point, he wanted me back. But I wouldn't go down there for a million bucks, not while he was in _that_ form. I stopped and took a sigh of relief. It was just genetics, I mean my mom was still growing at my age, why wouldn't I be? As for the new random muscles…probably just from moving. I mean, I did lift a ton of boxes---I was proud to admit that.

I heard a growl and froze. Then a gurgle. Then a groan. My brows furrowed as I tried to figure out what the heck was making the sound. Oh, it was my stomach. I had missed dinner and was starving. I laughed at my idiocy and nearly ran to my door. I would have to sneak to the kitchen; I didn't want to wake my dad up.

_Slam. _

What the hell was that? I jumped---startled, and ran towards my window. My dad was rushing out of the back door with a metal bat towards the enormous wolf in the clearing. This wouldn't be good. Dad's chasing off the love-struck Romeo---in his wolf form.

I feared for Seth.

"Stay away!" _Thwack._ "From my daughter." _Thwack. _"Or there will be more where this came from." _Thud. _I watched as my dad hit the wolf in the side multiple times. It wasn't hard, he was not _that_ mean, but it was safe to say that I would be moving at this point. Moving fast.

"Going to tell your mother!" _Thwack. Thud. Crack. _

My eyes widened as I heard a bone split. It was as loud as day, almost as if it happened right next to me. That's it. My father had his fun for the night. I fumbled with the lock and swung the pane of glass open as quickly as I could.

"Stop!" My hoarse voice carried all over to my backyard as the bat hit down on the rear end for the second time. I shook my head. Why didn't Seth just run off when my father came out? If he's trying to be some kind of martyr, he's an idiot.

"Pititchu, go to bed. I'm dealing with this noisy miscreant." Miscreant? I heaved a sigh. I wasn't going to let my dad hit my soulmate like a piñata. I didn't want all the candy out. Hiding a slight grin, I said back, "Dad, get _away_ from the wolf."

Yeah right.

He wanted to challenge me. My dad wanted to challenge me to come down there and defend Seth by myself. Hell, I'm sure Seth wanted me to do that too, along with providing the comforts you get when abused by a demonic parent.

Fine. Plan B was a go. I would just be down there long enough to steal the bat and drag my father away from Seth. That's it. Nothing else. I tried making my feet move back towards my bedroom door.

Fate was cruel.

I could do this. I could go downstairs and freely get near a wolf. I'd done it before, right? I had too, or else my dad would do some more damage to my sort of, not really boyfriend. All I know was that if it was _me_ imprinting on Seth, I would not go to these extremes. Sometimes I wondered where his brain was.

One step. Three steps. Five steps. I slowly forced myself down our wooden staircase, cursing the werewolf the whole way. I did _not_ want to do this. I did _not_ want to face my fears right now. I stopped. Of course, this was Seth's plan the whole time! Damn, maybe he was smarter than I thought. I let out a couple of choicer swear words under my breath as I went down the rest of the way. Slamming the back door (it could not be done any other way, it was my trademark), I flew across the green, dewy grass to my father.

He scanned my ruffled clothes, and gave me a disapproving frown. Whatever. I snatched the bat from his hands (with half a mind to hit him with it), and tried pulling him back towards the house. Everything was going right until the stupid wolf groaned in pain.

Then, I made the mistake in turning my head.

Those chocolate, brown eyes watched me with what seemed sadness. This was so unfair. Why was he doing this to me? The stupid threads that bonded us together started pulling. He was using this as an advantage over me, the jerk.

And sadly, it was working.

But I couldn't go near him. He was a wolf. Going to him would mean I accepted him in his supernatural form (which I hadn't). That would be unfair to the both of us.

My evil father was smirking.

Crap. I was stuck. Either I please my father and my good senses or Seth. I thought back to when I first came to La Push. Everything seemed simple then; I'd been too love-struck to really realize the implications of the situation. The Texas incident was what shed the light, demolishing my happy daydreams. It showed me what I was really getting into, what loving Seth would mean for me. We had totally missed the "friend" stage, going straight into the "lover" stage due to Seth's imprinting and my hormones. Was that the way things in La Push usually went?

It didn't matter. Either way, I would somehow still be in this position. And either way, I would walk away. Like now.

I hated myself and glared at my dad before running back towards the house. I made sure my father came with his bat before I went upstairs.

"How do you even know about the wolves?" I blurted out at him as he put the metal back into the closet. "How did you even know that was him?"

My father didn't answer, but watched as angry tears filled up my eyes. Wow, glad to know I have a comforting parent. Instead, I have a revengeful dad with more secrets than I can count. Talk about doing a three sixty.

"The legends," he said simply. Of course, that's the answer for everything. I bitterly laughed out loud. "The legends? Nobody believes those. I wouldn't even believe those if I didn't have proof." I scoffed even more, "So, what was _your_ proof, Dad? There weren't any shapeshifters back in your day. What made _you_ believe?"

He almost looked mysterious with the shadows darkening half his face. But the silent statue didn't talk, just stared at me with an unwavering gaze.

"I have proof, Tala. Proof that will never unburden my heart. Now go to bed."

What kind of answer was that? His deep, quiet voice appalled me and I looked at the man I once knew. He'd changed. I'd changed. This place was changing both of us---and not for the better. I silently made a vow that first chance possible, I would find a way to make everything like it once was.

Me being an annoying smart-ass and him being a self-sacrificing father who never had the right comebacks.

I went upstairs and dozed back to sleep on that thought---my aching stomach forgotten and my ears, once again, trying to shut out the soft whining of a wolf.

* * *

**Well, this is a bit deeper than usual. I felt that we needed to delve into the essence of Tala a bit more. And we also get a little bit more info on all the other mysteries in her life. But, I did love Tala's dad with a bat…hehehe poor Seth. It's a funny picture.**

**Sorry for the shortness. This chapter was not meant to be the way it turned out to be---though I do like the result. :D Anyway, Inauguration Day is coming up for all you fellow Americans…and others (it seems to be mighty important in all places actually) so that should be umm interesting. Yes…haha, NOT getting into that. **

**Well, please review! I honestly want to know what you guys thought...Feedback and critiques are ALWAYS welcome.**


	19. I'm Awake Now! I Swear!

**Ok, it is NOT a good idea to bake cookies in a toaster oven---then conveniently forget about them. I almost burnt down the kitchen today. Haha, apparently you're supposed to use flour instead of water to put a fire out…who knew? Ok, there is a bit of a time skip—all will be explained. It had to happen or this story would be going nowhere...**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her very secretive dad. **

Born To Be Wild

Chapter Nineteen

* * *

_He almost looked mysterious with the shadows darkening half his face. But the silent statue didn't talk, just stared at me with an unwavering gaze._

"_I have proof, Tala. Proof that will never unburden my heart. Now go to bed."_

_What kind of answer was that? His deep, quiet voice appalled me and I looked at the man I once knew. He'd changed. I'd changed. This place was changing both of us---and not for the better. I silently made a vow that first chance possible, I would find a way to make everything like it once was._

_Me being an annoying smart-ass and him being a self-sacrificing father who never had the right comebacks._

_I went upstairs and dozed back to sleep on that thought---my aching stomach forgotten and my ears, once again, trying to shut out the soft whining of a wolf._

* * *

After that night, everything sped up. It was like my whole world was controlled with a remote. I went to school, came home, did homework, and was grounded on weekends. Apparently, my dad's a harder nut to crack than I thought.

And I was miserable.

Seth stopped coming to my house, Embry avoided me and my questions, and to top that off, all I heard were whispers whenever I came over to Sam's. Thankfully, my dad saved me from those little get-togethers quite a few times due to his decision to not involve me with, I quote, "those La Push hooligans." Oh well, I'm sure I would have burnt the food anyway considering the state I'm in. I'd never forget my first meal I made with the Clearwaters. Although it was hilarious fun, egg and pancake perfume wasn't very becoming.

Wow, I was happier when I was a complete stranger in La Push. That's sad.

Caitlin couldn't even keep me sane. Not with Miss Cordelia aka Miss I-Have-To-Have-You-Under-My-Control around. Sometimes I wish she just stayed permanently sick with the flu, or whatever illness she pretended to have. Here's how a normal conversation went:

_Me: "Let's hang in the courtyard again."  
Caitlin: "Sure, that was fun!"  
Cordy: (fuming smoke) "No. It's too wet."  
Me: (rolls eyes at Ms. Primp) "It's always wet, alright?" Looks at Caitlin for backup.  
Caitlin: "'Kay, let's go inside then."  
Cordy: "Cat, I need to talk to you ALONE."  
Me: "Then call her after school."  
Cordy: "You know what? I think you should---"  
Caitlin: "C'mon Cordy." (walks away with the evil one after sending an apologetic glance to me)_

C&C were certainly their own group---no wonder not many people hung out with them. I should have watched for the warning signs. Caitlin was cool without her benefactor---maybe one day she would break away.

I prayed for her.

Anyway, that was last month. I wish I could say that I got my wish and people left me alone, but sadly, that's not an option for a new kid. When you're a novelty, everyone wants some sort of claim over you. They want you in their group etc.

You see, I'm not into all that. There's one thing I've learned about cliques---they keep you from meeting amazing people. I did move around though and tried to find people who were somewhat normal.

And no, I'm not saying I floated around a ton, people don't think my disposition's _that_ friendly. I certainly kept away from some groups like the "elite." But I met Daisy, Hays, and a few others.

Daisy's _really_ into the legends, and on a random note, she hates La Push and its greenness. Yeah, you wouldn't expect that from someone named after a flower. I was surprised too. Damn those stereotypes. Hays was an accident. Coach Quil wanted my "talents not to go to waste," so he pretty much forced me onto the co-ed soccer team with the help of some special someones. Two guesses? Dad and Sam. Hays was the captain (surprisingly werewolf free), and had to train me. We were going to the Makah rez soon to have a playoff, and they needed all players to be ready. Thankfully the two of us clicked so there wasn't too much sweat and blood.

* * *

"You can't work with the person next to you," Mrs. Thompson said with that monotone voice that all teachers acquire. "The book has to be a classic."

I crinkled my nose in distaste. Classics were boring.

"Can it---?" A person behind me asked.

Mrs. Thompson cut him right off. "No, Mr. Andrews. Reenactments of Romeo and Juliet are not allowed---we all know you love Ms. Casey, any more previews and we'll go blind. Any more questions?"

Nobody said a word. The previous excitement to perform Act One Scene Five of Shakespeare's play had dissipated, and now everyone was just trying to find a partner. I shrugged---I'd just work with Daisy. I turned to catch her eye, but someone blocked the way.

Seth.

"Wanna work together?" he said, going quickly in case of rejection. I blinked. Since when was _Seth_ _Clearwater_ in this period? That's not something I would miss. Then again, I had been skipping out a lot lately.

"How'd you---?" He interrupted me with a simple 'yesterday' and started fidgeting. What the hell. Before, he was trying to ignore me at lunch (wasn't in any of my classes). It worked so far…why was he giving up now?

"I don't know, I think I'm partnering with Daisy." I said, still trying to figure him out. I wondered if he'd even survive in Mrs. Thompson's class. She wasn't known to be easy. I had some fun time in detention thanks to her.

"Really? I think she's working with Kendall."

I frowned and tried to find my friend. She saw me and helplessly shrugged. Kendall was talking non-stop about all the great ideas she had already thought up. Nobody could say no to that chatterbox. Even the most popular guy in school couldn't get out under her grasp---she was known to be a major drama queen when rejected.

To put it short, last time the school board got involved.

"You set this up." I swiveled back to Seth, livid. It was an emotion that I hadn't used for awhile. I did not want to work with him. I couldn't work with him. I'd crack. I had been hardening myself up, saying lies to myself just for me not to think about him. This was unfair, a few more weeks and I could have been able to face Seth without automatically wanting to hug him.

"Yes," he said simply, an implied 'so what' in the air.

"What if I don't want to work with you?" I challenged him. Seth just gave me a sly wink. "Look around the room. Do you have any other options?"

Damn him. Everyone was already paired up. Seth just kept smiling like a kid with a lollipop.

I felt like screaming.

I wanted to ask him why now, why did he give me my space? But I figured after school would be a better time to do any major yelling (if it came to that).

"Meet at my house after school." I then promptly put in my earphones, wanting to drown everything out---soulmate included. A warm hand took away one of the buds. "What about your dad?"

Ah, so he didn't forget _that_ encounter either. Good. He needed some humility in his life.

"Work," I muttered, trying to will my eyes not to find his. "Won't be home till later."

"See you then." The boy sounded so happy; I could practically hear him grinning. I sat the rest of the English in a daze. What had I just got myself into?

* * *

"Hey! Sorry, she seriously pounced me and well, you know. Nobody can get away from the great Kendall Vesper." Daisy said after she caught up with me in the hall. "Who'd you get paired up with?"

"Seth Clearwater," I muttered venomously.

"Oh, Seth? I didn't know he was in our class." She frowned, racking up her brain. I let her struggle for a bit before I replied. "Apparently he transferred yesterday."

"Watch out for him, Tal." Daisy warned. "I get this weird vibe from him." She says that about anyone from the werewolf elite. Sometimes I do wonder if she has a sixth sense.

"Will do," I nodded.

She looked at me funny. "It's strange. You guys are never together, but…never mind, I'm probably just imagining it."

I encouraged her to go on. Daisy hesitated, but finally let it out. "There's a connection. It's like Seth is bonded to you or something…he watches you all the time you know."

That's news. I hadn't made contact with him in forever. Lord, Daisy's scaring me. I wonder if there's some voodoo Indian rite I could do to help her. She observed my face and added, "Seriously, I'm not kidding. I guess it's the way he looks at you. There's something there."

Yes, there's something thing all right. Imprint love.

"And you're just sharing this with me _now_?" I said with a bitter taste in my mouth. Daisy gave me a weak smile as a response before walking into her Spanish room. I rolled my eyes and trudged off to math.

The rest of the day was a blur, just like all the previous ones. I was out of it. I hadn't felt like myself in such a long time. My speech was different, my edge completely lost. The only thing normal about me was my lack of sleep. In Texas, I stayed up all hours doing nothing. Same with La Push.

Nothing had changed there.

I found myself blankly staring at the road that led to my house. Dad still refused to buy me a car. He said walking was good for me.

Yeah right.

I felt a raindrop on my shoulder, and I sighed, groping for my umbrella. It wasn't there. I must've spaced out this morning and forgot it. Or I had some sick, insane hope for sun. Either way I was screwed. I checked out the parking lot to see if I could get a ride, but most everyone had already gone. Just how long had I been standing here?

"What is wrong with you?" A vaguely familiar voice said. "You look awful." I couldn't figure out where the stupid thing was coming from until it was right in front of me. Leah Clearwater had her hands on her hip, foot tapping impatiently.

"Great assessment."

She waited for a more fired up response, but she wasn't going to get it. The most emotion I'd had since that night with the bat was with Seth earlier in English.

"Damn, Jake was right." Leah said, feeling my forehead. "You're wasting away."

"Am not," I swatted back her hand half-heartedly. She gave me a hard stare, and pulled me into her car that stood idling near the curb. I followed stiffly, not really caring at this point. She stuck me in the shotgun seat and climbed in.

"We're going to Port Angeles," she announced suddenly. Something in the back of my brain stirred. I was supposed to do something after school…but what was it?

Seth.

"Leah, can't. I have to meet up with your brother for an English project."

"You sure seemed excited to get home." Her dark eyes watched mine warily, wondering what was up. The engine started, and we moved away from the school.

"I just remembered," was my lame excuse. The russet-skinned girl took out her cell phone and began pressing numbers.

Seth's number. I winced and took to staring at the window. I could hear Leah's conversation like it was happening in the car.

"_Seth, it's Leah."  
"Yeah, I have caller id. What's up?"  
"I'm taking Tala to Port Angeles, and we won't be back till late." _There was a brief pause, as if Seth was debating what to say.  
_"Is she in the car with you?"  
"Yeah, so watch your words, Sethie," _Leah teased him. There was something serious in her tone, however that would make me suspicious on any other pretenses.  
_"Did she tell you we were meeting up for an English project?"  
"Why do you think I'm even calling you?"  
"Just don't speed, and bring her back as soon as possible." _What was I? Some fragile doll? Seth's fragile doll? This was demoralizing. Leah thought so too, and she hung up after saying a quick goodbye.

"We're worried about you." She chose her words carefully. Hate to break it to her, but I was not about to burst into tears anytime soon. "How's the family life?"

"Fine, I suppose. Dad's either at work or with Jackie. Or trying to keep me grounded."

"So, him and Jackie?" Leah baited. She was trying to see how much I knew about their weird relationship. Even I, practically a zombie robot, could figure that one out.

"Cut the crap, Leah. What do you want?"

She grinned. "She's alive!" The rain was pounding hard now, and the colors outside were blurring into shades of brown and green. I ignored her, and slouched in my seat. This was pointless. I could be moping in my room right now.

"You're really feeling it, aren't you?" She started again, her curiosity killing my mood.

"Feeling what? Annoyance?" I decided to take the bait. Why not? I was going to be stuck in the car for at least another hour anyways.

"You miss him," Leah said, keeping her face straight and stone-like. "Miss who?" I felt numb, and lifeless. Why was she asking me stupid, pointless questions?

"I've been watching you. You're practically catatonic. I mean, you talk like a robot to your friends at school, you're barely trying on the soccer field, your grades are slipping, and well, you shut yourself off from the rest of the world once you get home. I bet you haven't even answered half the texts in your inbox from your Texas friends."

Ok, the last one got me. I thought guiltily about all the messages Becca had sent me. I hadn't responded to one of them. "Why do you care about my life?" I snapped. "I don't try and invade yours."

Leah laughed cruelly. "Oh, believe me. I don't want to care. But, I have too. You forget that I have to listen to my brother's mind every time we phase."

"Seth has nothing to do with this." My fingers started messing around with the hem of my shirt. I quickly stopped them and looked defiantly into Leah's implying face. "Nothing."

"He's got everything to do with this, princess. He's as bad as you. I haven't heard him laugh or say stupid things for the past month. And do you know how off that is?" She didn't even wait for me to respond. "Before, I could put up with his madness. It was always Tala this, or Tala that. He never knew how to _not_ offend you---especially about the wolf thing. It was up to a point where Jacob had to intervene."

Okay. I took the bait again. Damn, she was ahead two now on the point scale.

"Intervene?" Leah honked at the car in front of us and sighed. "Yeah, Jake went against all he stood for and had to lay an injunction on Seth. I wouldn't talk for him for a week…but it had to be done. Seth didn't sleep or anything, all he did was stalk you and your house. He tried making up plans to get you to accept him—and well, it was really unhealthy."

"Injunction?" I couldn't warp my mind around what Leah was telling me.

"Only when he passed out three times in your lawn on guard duty," she assured me. "I had to go find him and drag him out before your dad came. Man, was that bat episode funny. Seth'll never live that down."

I couldn't even think about the memory. "Why didn't he even try to get around the rules?"

Leah cracked up. "Seriously? You don't think he tried? I didn't even know my brother had major brains until he made attempts of escaping. Boy, was I wrong. But Jake knows all the tricks, considering the same thing happened to him. So, he phrased that thing just right."

A silence then filled the car. Seth. Seth. He's all I could think about.

"He could only talk to you if you started up a conversation. But seeing as that didn't really happen…" Leah added. Great, my pain just doubled.

She never answered my big question, however. Why now?

"I guess the thing got raised then, considering I'm doing an English project with him." I said out loud. She sighed, "Yeah. He immediately went to Mrs. Akara to switch his schedule around. He'll probably be in more of your classes by Monday."

Monday. Today was Friday. Oh, I hadn't even realized that school wasn't for another two days.

Leah stopped the car, and I peeked out. It was my house. She reached over and opened the door for me. Confused, I gingerly stepped out. I swore she said we were going to Port Angeles. Leah waved, and shut the passenger door.

"Not too much longer now," she said under her breath. "Calm indifference doesn't suit you." I frowned. What the heck?

"Just go with the flow, Tala. Who knows? You might find something you like." She shouted over her back, leaving me in the rain in front of an empty house.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

I stayed up late waiting for my dad. He didn't come home till three in the morning, and when he did, he looked a bit tipsy. More like full out drunk. I'm guessing he stopped by that bar with Jackie. They had been inseparable since the Embry stand-off. She was always over for dinner and everything. No matter what the bribes were, however, Embry always declined. Lucky him.

I wanted to feel hate for her, I mean, she was trying to take the place of my mom. But, I honestly hadn't cared until now.

I finally had woken up.

"Where were you?" I popped up from behind a door. He had been trying to sneak yet another beer into the living room.

"Pititchu!" He exclaimed, his eyes unfocused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Maybe you should go to bed, you're going to have a hangover in the morning."

"I don't get hangovers," he said proudly, thumping his chest. Yeah, he was wasted. Nobody imitates King Kong anymore. "I have _special_ genes."

"Special genes?" My eyebrows rose. That was a new one. The man was acting like a child.

"Yep," he hiccupped. He unsteadily made his way to the couch, and started singing. "I got special genes, and so do you…"

He had reached notes that weren't even made yet. I was almost tempted to go get the video camera. Just how much had I been missing earlier? How many times had my dad gotten himself drunk since we came here?

Leah was right. I _was_ out of it.

I decided to play along with him, just for grins. "Yeah, and what kind of other benefits do I get from these special genes of yours?"

He looked at me for a minute, and he suddenly collapsed into a fitful of snores. Was that even normal? I started for the stairs, and just as I reached the last one to the top, I heard him wheeze, "Like Embry."

That's it. Embry was going to _have_ to talk to me. I was going to make him somehow. He couldn't avoid me forever. He got lucky earlier, but now I was up and running.

He better be ready.

* * *

I found him near the rocks at First Beach the next afternoon. I had spent the whole morning searching for him. Man, werewolves were good at hide-and-seek.

I vetoed creeping up on him. One) that would scare him off too early, two) he would sense me anyways, and three) I sucked at sneaking. With my mind made up, I plopped myself next to him. I watched the Pacific for a few minutes before I felt a prickly sensation on my back. I side-way glanced and caught him staring at me with some deep, intense eyes.

"You shouldn't be here," he said gravely.

"Why? What's keeping me?" I dared him to answer. He just shut up and turned back towards to water.

"You know, I always wondered who my father was," he mused after awhile. Okay, that was random, but I was silent---waiting for him to go on. This was obviously bothering him. "When I was mad, I used to think he was some evil guy that abandoned my mom and me. But, when I was happy, well…I just thought some tragic accident happened and he _couldn't_ be with us. You know?"

He glanced at me for reassurance, waiting for me to tell him that he was not crazy. "Yeah, I understand what you mean, sort of." I began, trying to find some sort of simile. "That's describing the relationship with me and fate. I hate it for taking away my mom, but sometimes it's nice and gives me a reward every so often."

"Seth," Embry stated without thinking. I groaned. Seth was becoming the explanation for everything. "He really digs you, you know. You should give him a chance."

"I did," I pointed out. "And see where that got me."

Embry waved it off. "That guy was being a jerk, he was coming onto you." After a weird expression, he explained himself. "I see everything in Seth's head---just like he sees everything in mine."

"What privacy," I said sarcastically. I would hate to have people in my head 24/7. Thank god I wasn't a freaky shapeshifter.

"Yeah," Embry mumbled, picking up a rock and trying to skip it. Fail.

"Anyway," I started, trying to get the conversation back on him. I didn't want to hear any more Tala/Seth pep talks. "Did anything happen?" He seemed unsettled for a second, and shook his head.

Liar.

"No, it's just something I think about every so often. Well, more often now. It's kind of inevitable with current events." I let him go on. It was something he obviously needed to vent about. "I used to think it was some dude from the Makah rez---my mom used to live there, you know? But then, well, I phased and everything changed. I now was either the bastard child of Billy, Quil, or Sam's dad. We all liked to think it was Sam's, but you never know."

"Oh," I bit my lip. What was I supposed to say? That's too bad? Embry scanned my expressions and tensed.

"But the tables turned a few weeks ago," he said abruptly. "And I found out who it was." Startled, I dropped the rock I was holding. "Really?" Why hadn't I heard anything about this before? Guess I'd been in my zombie state, and wasn't paying too much attention.

"Turns out they'd been paying the child support ever since I was born. And it was my _mom_ who forced them not to tell me anything."

"Well, look at the bright side." I made a fake smile. "You have a new sibling."

Embry's morose expression lightened a bit. "Yeah, that's true, I guess."

"So…" I shifted pebbles with my foot, not wanting to be too curious. He'd tell me on his own time. But, I couldn't contain myself. "Who is it?"

"You."

I reeled back and glanced at the native. His face was dead serious, mouth set in a hard line. My hands shook---he did not say what I thought he just said. "_What?!__"_

Embry gazed into my amber eyes and repeated the ultimatum.

"I'm your half-brother, Tala."

* * *

**Ohh snap. Haha, well, I'm pretty sure most of you guys figured out this in earlier chapters…but if not…SURPRISE. Yeah, before I wrote this story, I knew Embry's dad was going to be involved somehow. So what's the consensus? How was that last delivering line? Ok, the beginning of this chapter is showing how Tala is down---really down. Seth's wasn't talking to her, and unconsciously, it was affecting her. She doesn't have her usual spark. More happy moments to come now that we've got the angst of the whole imprint thing coming to a close. But not the drama. Hehe. **

**Uhh 3 A.M. I am going to regret this lost sleep tomorrow. This took me forever to type up. **

**Anyway, feedback is much loved. :D **

…review**?...**


	20. Darn Those Stupid Revelations

**Haha, finally got around to updating….thank you so much for the **lovely** reviews. You all make my day. No joke. And well, pretty much made me feel guilty enough to put this up. Now, here's the much wanted chapter. **

**Enjoy! And don't forget to review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad.**

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty:

* * *

"_So…" I shifted pebbles with my foot, not wanting to be too curious. He'd tell me on his own time. But, I couldn't contain myself. "Who is it?"_

"_You."_

_I reeled back and glanced at the native. His face was dead serious, mouth set in a hard line. My hands shook---he did not say what I thought he just said. "__What?!__"_

_Embry gazed into my amber eyes and repeated the ultimatum._

"_I'm your half-brother, Tala."_

* * *

I had always liked Embry, but when those words came out of his mouth, I seriously worried for his health. He watched me, hand ready to steady me if I fainted. Yeah, I hate to disappoint, but that was _not_ going to happen. I was not planning on acting like an idiot damsel in distress when it was Embry's mind that needed to be saved. Anyway, I had passed out far more times than I could count on this reservation---and that fact didn't exactly comfort me.

"Tala?" He snapped his fingers in front of my eyes like a moron from the elementary. I glowered at him until he backed off.

"Embry, what pills have you been taking?" I whipped out at him. He looked kind of startled, opening his mouth in protest. I ignored the efforts and went on. "Is it that sleeping one? You know, I hear they make people delusional."

I really should've been more sensitive, now looking back on the moment. But, you try having a friend accuse your dad of having an extra-marital affair with someone other than your mom. Whatever, I had enough time to remember that it was the crazy ones that needed more love and that sort of fluff, and was able to swallow most of the accusations. Just to be on the safe side. Wouldn't want him to go wolf on me. Embry chuckled---an emotion that I was not expecting.

"You think I'm kidding." My unsaid 'duh' lingered in the air as he picked up another pebble.

"Look, I know what you are feeling about the missing parent thing, and if you want to talk about it, I'm always here for you." I told him half-heartedly. I'd make as good as a psychiatrist as Sam. The thought nearly made me laugh aloud. I was _not_ meant for that occupation. I have witnesses. Maybe there was some mystic who could help him…I wondered if Zulu was still in business. He was good, but he loved to mess around with the tourists way too much.

"Why is it now that you try to find reason?" he turned to me. "You believed that we're werewolves, but you can't believe that we're related."

"Shapeshifters," I corrected him. "And yeah, no matter what sort of drama queen crap my dad has been pulling lately, I know for a fact that he didn't cheat on my mom."

Wow. Me standing up for my dad. That was a first.

I continued, just to make my point clear. "I know he's been…well, freaky since we moved here, but that's not because of this story you made up."

"I know that! And I did not make it up. It's true." He yelled back at me in exasperation. The poor rock in his hand was crushed to dust. "I should've kept my mouth shut." Embry threw the crumbling remains in the water and began to trudge back towards civilization. At last second before he hit the trees, he did a one eighty and said, ""If you don't believe me, ask your dad."

I snickered like a high harpy.

"Hell no. He'd ignore it anyway. He was never into the whole legend thing." Embry's eyes glinted with anger as I mocked his stupid lie. It wasn't true, so I didn't understand why he was getting all mad. He stomped off into the wilderness like some idiotic girl from one of those stereotypical dramas. I could hear a slight shimmering sound as he phased.

I wondered how much he got paid for the cruel joke. The boys made bets all the time. Before the whole awkwardness period, they even got bored and betted on the sort of clothes I'd wear every day. Sadly, they were right most of the time.

I usually only wore a hoodie with a t-shirt and jeans. Sometimes though, I put on a dress to make sure someone have a bad day in their little stock market.

I guess the task this time was to see if they could make me look like an insensitive jerk. My blood boiled just thinking of the paper in their pockets. They'd done well. If I had watched myself from a T.V., I'd want to murder my character or vote them off.

I stomped through the forest towards the direction of my house. Dad couldn't have cheated on my mom. He loved her, he loved me. But what if they fought a lot, and I was an oblivious child? What if they were going through a rough time, and he tried to pleasure himself with another woman? What if…?

* * *

Christ. The woman my dad possibly cheated on is in my house! I watched as Jackie Call hummed a little native song that we learn as kids while washing the dishes with a sponge. Why was she here? Why now?

And of course, my dad was nowhere in sight.

I slammed the door behind me and headed straight for his room. He had to be here. He must be here. I couldn't trust myself to not scream---especially if it was someone besides him. I deserved answers, what if Embry wasn't lying? What is he really was my…I gulped, half-brother? Too many questions----my head was beginning to spin.

"Tal, was that you?" She yelled over the noise of the faucet water. Since when had we gotten to the nickname stage? I took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself. Must. Be. Polite. With that little mantra repeating in my head, I walked in and sat at the kitchen table. She turned to me with a grin, pulling off an apron while shutting down the plumbing.

Okay, I knew we were on a "friendly" basis, but not like BFF friendly. This was creepy. My expression bothered her and she pulled up a chair beside mine.

"Anything wrong?"

I shook my head even though my brain was screaming _yes! _She rolled her eyes. "That's the same exact expression Embry gives me when I catch him coming in at four in the morning."

_Embry's an idiot_, I thought to myself. He needs to figure out a better poker face. Then again, so did I. Guess it didn't run in the family, _if_ we were even that. I realized I had missed half of Ms. Call's speech. She blabbered on.

"I mean, I don't know what's been going on with him. The last two years, he's been avoiding all my questions. Do you think he's mixed in with the wrong crowd?" Her face was creased with worry lines.

Okay, he was _definitely_ an idiot. He still hadn't told her that he sprouted four legs and a tail every night. Poor woman, I would be going mad if I was her. I didn't answer. In response, I started flexing my fingers as if interested in their structure. He _was_ mixed in the wrong crowd if you were human like me. Vampires and werewolves weren't exactly on the top of mom's "safe" list.

"Why won't you look at me?" She grabbed my chin, and forced my eyes to meet hers. I reverted them instantly, not wanting to see the woman that possibly ruined my life. Jackie groaned, rubbing her forehead with anxiety.

"He told you, didn't he. Just before." She didn't ask it like a question. It was a statement---she already knew the answer. Ms. Call let it sink in before saying slowly, "Tala, listen to me. Your dad did not cheat on your mom."

Those were the magic words. I instantly glanced up, my mood lightening. "Embry's a liar, then. He said that he was my half-brother. I _knew_ I should've been more skeptical." She nervously took my hand. Not a good sign.

"He didn't cheat, but Embry is still related to you."

There's goes my happy mood. Man, that woman knew how to be a killjoy. I didn't even try to hold back my fury this time. "_Excuse me_?"

Jackie bit her lip. "You listen, I'll talk. Got it?" I nodded---this was the best I was going to get. She continued, "Not a word to your dad, he's already stressed as it is." He's stressed? _He's_ the one who's been keeping secrets. I tried calming myself, a task that was getting harder and harder these days. I was never one to keep something in, so I wasn't quite sure where all this unwanted anger was coming from.

Oh right. Dad.

"I guess it all started two years before you were born. Your dad and I had met in college, and sometimes we liked to hang out a local bar that was between both of our reservations after work. One night we both drank too much tequila, and well I found out I was pregnant a month or two later. With Embry."

Her eyes darkened with the memories as I tried to regain my breathing.

"I kept it to myself. Whenever Peter called to hang out again, I ignored him." She paused and turned to me. "I'm glad I did, he met your mom and had you. You were a honeymoon baby, you know."

"Well he obviously found out," I mumbled, trying to not let a blush appear on my cheeks. She heard me and smiled wearily.

"I moved to La Push because it had better work options. Everyone assumed that it was a Makah native who knocked me up, not one of their own. They pitied me. Your dad found me at work one day with a one-year-old boy that looked oddly similar to him. You can guess what happened next. He had just found out Nina was expecting, and I didn't want him to give up his life for me. I let him pay the child support and forced him to tell his wife, but I forbade him from telling Embry who his real father was. My last request."

"So you robbed him of his child?" I stood up quickly, my chair falling onto its back. The circles under her eyes became more prominent as she thrust her head into her hands. "I never said I was perfect. I was scared, poor, and a single parent. I didn't want anything to become more complicated."

"Complicated?" I jeered. "Like the situation was ever going to be simple." I shut my eyes and tried a stupid breathing exercise. _Embry was my half-brother. Embry was my half-brother._

The mere sentence was taunting me.

"Why am I not allowed to ask my dad about all of this?" I finally managed to spit out.

Jackie moaned. "He never knew my motives, not really. I only told him I didn't want him in my life, and that was that. Now---it's different. He's forgiven me, and well there's Embry to consider. He doesn't know how to handle it. I keep seeing him less and less. Peter's trying but---oh Tala, our family's destroyed!" Her words cracked, and tears spilled over her cheeks.

Our family? We were now a family? I just found out that I had a freaking older brother today! This was so messed up. I patted her awkwardly on the back, not knowing what to say. I couldn't express my fury, considering the circumstances. And I couldn't rat to my dad either.

Damn. I was going to have to bottle it up. This'd be interesting.

"Air," I managed to blurt out when her crying died down. It was at times like these when I wanted my mom. I needed someone's shoulder to cry on, someone who did not want payment in return.

I needed her.

I found myself back in the lowly gates of hell, the rusty gate creaking as I scampered toward the tombstone. I read the name over and over again and I began leaking saltwater. I felt like the hormonal teenage girl I was. My feelings were all over the place. I wanted to be mad, but I couldn't. I wasn't sad either.

Confused. That was what I was. Or scared shitless in other words. Everything I knew was slowly breaking apart. And I only knew it was going to get worse. This was just the start.

A warm hand touched my shoulder, and I automatically knew it wasn't Seth. It was Embry. He sat next to me, silently waiting for me to stop. It was…almost comforting. It was then when I realized that he was going through the same thing as me---probably worse. I felt awful for my attitude to him earlier. Embry was only trying to tell me the truth. All he wanted was for someone to relate to him. He needed someone to console him too.

I then did something completely against my nature. I got up and gave him a huge hug.

Embry was surprised to say the least. "What the hell!" he exclaimed loudly, before he figured out what I was doing.

I rolled my eyes. "It's just a hug. I'm not poisoning you or anything."

"Can't blame me. You have all rights to do that now." He muttered darkly, though his eyes were apologetic. My mind warped around his words and I grinned. Yes! I could be a devil little sister now. I officially had a sibling to annoy---granted he was a halfie, but still. At least one good thing came from this.

"Same to you," I told him. He grinned. Great, what brilliant ideas did I give him?

"I'm sorry about before," I said. "I didn't…understand. I still don't, but I can at least pretend, can't I?" He raised a brow and shrugged. What an answer.

Boys.

"Any more secrets you need to clue me in on? I swear I'll listen this time." I tried to whittle _something_ out of him. Embry decided to mess around with a loose thread on his jeans instead of responding. "I'm not kidding. What else is there?"

He moved to picking the weeds out of the grass. Way to be Captain Obvious. I tried again, "Emb---"

He closed his eyes, interrupting me completely. "Nothing, there's nothing else."

"You really don't fib well."

"It's not my fault," he snorted. "It's not exactly easy to keep a sane mind when you have to listen to Jake rant about Nessie, Seth mourn you, Leah curse the world, and Quil wonder how he looked in Claire's dress-up clothes."

"You guys have problems," I said seriously, his words about Seth re-running in my head.

"It's been much better since the whole split with Sam deal. Before, I thought about kissing Kim all the time, and had images of Paul's _fantasies_." He cringed on the last part, trying to knock the idea clear out of the water. I didn't blame him. Those wouldn't have been my prime daydreams if I had the choice.

"You can divert well, I'll give you that."

He grinned. "Damn, here I was thinking that I could get you off topic."

"I'm your little sister. It's not likely." The words seemed foreign in my ears, and must've in his also because Embry instantly was uncomfortable. The whole situation was too weird. Almost untouchable. Yet, it was something we couldn't pretend about much longer thanks to our parents' frequent get-togethers.

I smirked. At least I could agitate my dad about _that_.

Embry scanned me and randomly felt my forehead. "Am I hot to you?" My eyes bulged.

"Uhh I mean, I guess you're _okay_ looking. But I sort of like Seth. I'm sure some other girl would love your…structure though." I was rambling. This was awkward.

He shook his head, grinning. "Thanks for that, but I meant my temperature." Okay, did I say awkward? I meant tongue-twisting embarrassing.

"You're warm, Emb. I think you're losing your touch." I teased him, trying to cover up my previous idiocy.

"Emb?" he said. My brow rose.

"What? Would you rather me call you Embryo?" He cringed and I wanted to bless the heavens. I had stuff to work with now. This would be perfect blackmail material for the future.

"Don't. Call. Me. That." His teeth grinded together, and I smiled innocently.

"Of course dear big brother of mine." He jumped up and started pacing. His height towered over mine, casting a shadow in the grass.

"I don't know how to react to this. You seem fine with it, but personally, I find it…" He tried grasping a word that was out of his vocabulary range.

"Unsettling," I offered. He nodded, his fists bunching up and relaxing like a machine. "By the way, I _don't_ know how to act. I'm might be doing this as a cover-up. For all you know, I could be dying on the inside. I mean, I have _you _as my brother."

"Girls are always complex," he said, choosing to ignore the insult.

"And boys aren't?" He stared at me like I was insane. "Granted, they're not. But you get what I mean." Guys were kind of obvious sometimes.

"What're we going to do now?" he muttered out loud.

"Wait till the family meeting, I guess." I brushed away the dead petals from my mom's grave and stood up. "There's going to be one soon, now that both you and I know." Embry nodded and his head snapped to the trees. I was surprised to find that I could hear a faint brushing noise.

"That'll be Seth. It's my turn to patrol." Without realizing it, I instantly kept a lookout for a sandy coat. I didn't _want_ to see him as a wolf. But right now, I could care less.

I just wanted to see him. One glance and I'd be set for the week.

"Wait! You never answered my question," I called to Embry when he was closing the gate.

He grimaced. "You'll figure out everything soon. Karma's a bitch." With that, he ran into the greenery, stripping as he went. What was he talking about? I inwardly groaned as I felt a drop of water on my forehead. When did it _not_ rain?

I walked miserably to the muddy beach and sat down on a nearby rock, similar to the one earlier today. I didn't even flinch when I heard a soft padding come near me. My suspicions were confirmed when a sliver of yellow showed up in my peripheral vision. Seth was stretched out five feet from me, not daring to get any closer. He didn't switch forms; he only watched me with those chocolately brown eyes, willing me to come to him.

The rain was pouring now, drenching me and my clothes. I watched as the waves lapping onto my rocky hold got larger and larger. The thunder roared in the distance.

I know, very cliché. But it wasn't when you were abused daily by Washington weather.

Ironically, it was then when I realized I wasn't scared anymore. I shook a little from the shock of that discovery. I no longer felt the urge to scream bloody murder and leave running at the sight of Seth as a wolf.

Maybe going to my mom's grave had given me some peace after all. Seth was the only thing in my life that _hadn't_ changed so far. He was the same. He would always be the same.

He was someone who wouldn't ask anything in return.

I didn't care what he was anymore. It wasn't his fault that he changed into a giant nightmare every day. He never asked for it. It wasn't like he begged the fates to change course or anything. It was his heritage.

I was starting to hate these revelation things.

Seth seemed to sense my change of moods and approached me cautiously. He whined at the clouds in the distance and tried to move his head towards home.

"I don't know wolf talk." I told him like the smart-aleck I was. He wagged his tail at the fact that I had actually tried to converse with him. I sighed. Seth was right. There was a storm coming and I needed to get home. However, facing Jackie and dad wasn't that appealing of an option. My other half then proceeded to play charades with me. He honestly didn't think I understood him.

I guess I'd be the brains of the imprint. The rain turned into sleet, and I knew I couldn't put off my delay for much longer.

"C'mon, Seth," I said, leaping off my rock. "Let's go face reality."

* * *

**So, what how was it? It's weird how I plan to write something, and it comes out into something totally different. I didn't even mean for Tala to get closer in accepting Seth during this chapter. Hope you guys liked the little Embry/Tala time. They're both feeling kind of confused right now, and needed each other. A little fluff. Oh, and the whole Jackie story…reactions? That's been in my head since September. It's good to finally get it out in writing. I hope it wasn't confusing. Please excuse the grammar mistakes, I try to edit as much as I can. **

**Now, I have a question. Do you want me to up the drama? Because, believe me. I can…I actually was planning on it. But, I want to get some feedback from the readers first. I don't want to overwhelm you guys or anything. This story's already a soap opera as it is. **

**Reviews are loved :D **


	21. I Owe Myself A Million Bucks

**LONGEST chapter I've written so far. Wow. I absolutely, officially love spring break. I got my update out sooner than I thought! And it is you so much for all the lovely reviews, you guys are pure awesome, as usual. If you haven't read **_**Jane Eyre**_**, watch out---there are a few references to the book. And in the middle of the chapter, we get a sneak into Seth's mind. Just giving you a heads up. **

**Enjoy! And don't forget to review: D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad.**

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-One:

* * *

_My other half then proceeded to play charades with me. He honestly didn't think I understood him. I guess I'd be the brains of the imprint. The rain turned into sleet, and I knew I couldn't put off my delay for much longer. _

"_C'mon, Seth," I said, leaping off my rock. "Let's go face reality." _

* * *

"Read your novel (I will be checking), explain three major motifs in your literary text with an essay form, act out a memorized, five minute scene, and create an oral quiz for the class," I read off of a tiny sheet of paper---Mrs. Thompson's lovely "requirements" for our project. I propped my arms up and groaned. "Well this sucks---we can't even use Cliff Notes!"

"Or Spark Notes," Seth added with a dismissal tone. He was sprawled on my living room floor looking about as comfortable as someone sitting on a cactus. My father coughed loudly from the next room, giving the werewolf a discreet and loathing glare.

Our teacher had made it clear that she had given this assignment so many times before (I was beginning to wonder her age), and knew all the tricks in the book. Brilliant. Seth and I were a week behind on the project, my dad was relentless, and we couldn't cheat.

Let's just tie it up in a bow, shall we?

"We don't even know what classic to do," I threw my hands up in the air. Seth stared into space for a couple of moments before a big grin appeared on his face.

"I know! We could go talk to B----" I jumped up and shook my head, his words dissolving into nothingness.

"We are doing this the _human_ way." I wouldn't get close to those vampires, not even if I was paid a million bucks.

"Just a suggestion," he said earnestly.

"May as well just do _Jane Eyre_, I feel about as hopeless as she did," I muttered sarcastically, pacing back and forth. I had read that book as a suggestion of Amy's back in Texas.

Never again.

At least it wasn't as bad as _The Scarlett Letter_. I had been forced into that one by my book club in eighth grade. By the time we finished it, I was considering the option of burning it in my fireplace. Other than confusing, it was just plain boring. My old Lit teacher told us that we weren't "mature" enough to understand.

Yeah right. Like anyone had the maturity level for that piece, no offense to the author of course. I suppose it was all in the eyes of the beholder.

"Isn't the story about a governess and what's his face?" A voice jolted me out of my mind rant. I'm sure a mad glint was in my eye as I rounded on that poor boy.

"_You've_ read _Jane Eyre_?" He muttered a few choicer swear words and went mute. I raised my brow, waiting for a decent response.

"Leah…bet…I lost." Seth mumbled off, not making any sense. I snickered, and gave a point to his sister. I wonder what the bet was. A faint smile appeared on his lips when he heard me cracking up. I internally groaned. We had been in a stalemate since last week. I sort of, kind of was closer to…_accepting_ him in his other form---still not sure on where we were or anything, and he took that as a green light. I quickly put him back in his place and tried to ignore him, but then we had this stupid project and the plan soon went out the door.

Great, right?

It didn't help that I kept having that awful feeling that something bad was going to happen. The more I thought about it, the more I knew something was up. Just yesterday I had been over at Embry's house (thank god his mom was on a grocery run), and some of the newbies came over and starting kept shooting me these insanely weird looks.

Nothing added up anymore. And as usual, nobody was talking.

I flipped back a piece of hair from my face. We were getting nowhere. "'Kay, we're going to have to do that one since we have literally no time to read a novel. What motifs do you want to do?"

"Motifs?" He said with a confused glance. I sighed. "You know. Symbolism, themes, and all that sort of crap."

"Oh." Seth exhaled and promptly began messing around with his hands. "How 'bout class problems, schools, and… governesses?"

"They're all related," I pointed out, surprised at his moment of smartness. He just nodded, "Easier for us then."

"Good. Now for the memorization…," I said, going onto the next topic. What scene could we possibly act out? It would have to have a male and female in it. There was the fortune-telling scene, the charades…

"Proposal scene," he beamed, taking the words right out of my head. "C'mon, we _have_ to do that one."

"Why ?" I said, catching the double meaning right away. "It's not like anyone's going to be watching it anyway."

"Exactly my point, let's _make_ them watch us. Everyone's so bummed about the whole Romeo and Juliet stuff, so this will be perfect."

"For you!" I snapped, trying to remember what the proposal scene was even about. Rochester telling Jane she's moving to Ireland was all I could recall---the rest was fuzzy. I'd have to read that part again before Seth got any more _scathingly brilliant_ ideas.

"Why're we working on a Friday night again?" He stole a fake apple from the décor display and began playing hacky sack.

I had half a mind to join him.

"Because you have nothing better to do than stalk me," I shot at him, pissed.

He faked hurt and held a hand to his chest. "Ouch." I rolled my eyes. I was so proud of myself for not screaming in irritation yet—this little seminar was dragging on like a snail.

Of course, he had to get revenge.

"Y'know, we never went on our first date," Seth said loudly, getting my dad's attention immediately. He was seriously pushing it. I wanted to shout bloody murder, and my dad seemed to be having the same thought process. Like daughter, like father. I growled at him, motioning Seth to shut up.

Like that would ever happen---he got even louder.

"Did you just…?" He laughed in amazement, his smile even wider than before.

I grabbed his arm and yanked him of the floor. "Fine, we're going on our date. Happy?" Seth just stared at me, uncomprehending what I was telling him. Wow, that boy was slow. I grabbed my messenger bag, gave my father a quick 'goodbye,' and dragged the gigantic werewolf out the door.

Impressive, I know.

"Where are we going?" He finally thought to inquire as I shoved him into my dad's SUV. I got in the driver's seat and shut the door, fingering the wheel.

"I have no freaking idea." With that, I started the engine, and drove off our gravel driveway, heading in the direction of the great unknown. Okay, more like Forks. No, I had no clue what I was going to do in a small town named after an eating utensil, but I figured I'd think of something along the way. Forks must have some food, and if not, the people have clearly no creativity whatsoever.

"You forgot your jacket," he told me like a smartass three minutes into the trip.

I looked at him like he was insane. "It's warm, Seth. You okay?" I mocked checking his temperature, noticing he was a bit colder than usual. "You've been spending way too much time with the Cullens---their frostiness is getting to you." His dark eyes didn't glance in my direction as he sat in silence. I wondered if I went too far.

"It was a joke," I explained while turning on my headlights like the dutiful driver I was. I didn't see why I had to, I could see perfectly fine. Seth started fidgeting and out of nowhere he blurted out,

"What's your favorite candy?"

I was seriously worried that Sam was rubbing off on him. Bipolarness is not exactly the most fun trait to have.

"Uhh…M&M's, or just chocolate in general. You?" I then realized that he knew nearly nothing about me. We had never gone over our likes and dislikes, not even touching base on goals and dreams. Heck, he knew less than Embry, and _he_ was supposed to be my soulmate.

This was just sad. No wonder he was asking. Maybe he's not crazy after all…

"Jolly Ranchers," he told me. "Chocolate is great too." He then went into asking me my favorite movie, flower, jewel, etc. It went something like this.

"Color?"  
"Blue."  
"Amber." (I suspiciously glanced at him here.)  
"Embarrassing moment?"  
"Too many to count."  
"Same."

It went on and on and on. I admit, I enjoyed it, and Seth was beyond joyous. He thought that he was slowly uncovering the essence of Tala. I cackled…it would take him _years_ to do that, if we were even together for that long. I didn't even know where I was going until I noticed a sign.

"Crap. My dad is going to kill me." I pounded my forehead on the window, wishing I had made up my mind before I got into the car. "We're in Queets."

"Did you just ask me if I had wheat?" Seth teased. I punched him on the shoulder.

"No, Queets. It's like an hour and a half away!"

"Wow, I'm a good distraction." Somebody had a big ego. Stopping the car on the side of the road, I shot a venomous side-glance, and leaned over to search for some maps in the shotgun compartment. Seth automatically was on edge, not sure what to do. I roughly man-handled some poor pieces of paper, so I could spare us both the awkward moment.

"We're near the Quinault Reservation," I murmured perusing the tiny dots and lines. "I think some of my mom's family lives over here."

"Wait. You're not fully Quileute?" Seth seemed anxious for me to respond. I shrugged. "Nope, my family's pure Quileute. My aunts intermarried though, if that's what you're asking. But, who knows? I could have some great, great, great grand-father who was a Cherokee."

"Let's hope," he said darkly. I was not letting him off the hook this time---he'd had enough Freudian slips to last a lifetime.

"Why, do you want me to be a Cherokee? I mean, there's nothing wrong with them, but…" He shook his head, not wanting to continue the subject. Guys always did that, it was such an annoying trait.

"Seth, tell me," I took his chain and made him look into my eyes. "Seriously. This whole secret thing---it's getting kinda annoying."

"It's not my place to tell," he mumbled, looking at me with the strangest expression. Oh dear god, I remembered this from before. When I was a naïve girl who didn't understand what I was getting into. This meant I was close to getting it out of him…maybe I could use this to my advantage.

Has anyone ever told you that it's hard to plot when you're getting stared at with the most adorable, chocolate brown eyes? If you haven't, then be warned.

"It can't be that bad," I assured him, though if it was more for him or me, I didn't know. "And if it's anyone's place to tell, wouldn't it be yours?"

"You don't get it," he sighed, breaking our connection. "I literally _can't_ tell."

"Try."

"I--," he tried to speak, but he couldn't get the words out of his mouth. I watched Seth's teeth clenched in frustration as he struggled to form a sentence. "You---"

"This is hard," he groaned hitting the ceiling as he straightened up. "How Jacob did this, I'll never know."

"Did what? Lay the Alpha command on you?" Perspiration appeared on his forehead as he tensed with another effort to tell me. Seth stopped after a few seconds, and squinted. "No, when he told Bella who we are. Technically, it's against the rules unless you're an imprint."

"What else is against the rules?" Maybe I could get the answer out this way---the topic seemed to be forbidden. Seth understood where I was going, but shook his head in response.

He couldn't do it. This was beyond exasperating.

"Okay, how about we do charades?" Seth seemed to like the game well enough. He nodded eagerly, ready to try.

"Let me just make some guesses before. One, it has to do with me. Two, lineage stuff? Three…." I grasped for another clue on what was going on. Did Dad acting weird count? I was trying to remember the reason why we moved here. Support and help? But, was that concerning the Embry situation or this? Speaking of which, I still hadn't confronted him. I was almost dreading it, hoping if I didn't hear it from him then it wasn't true.

Anyway, right---another observation. The pups looking at me weird? Would that count? Sam's total want to dominant me? (Though, I'm pretty sure that was just genetic.) I didn't know. I was getting the whole secret about my half-brother and this mixed up. Maybe the newbies were doing that because they found out that Embry was related to me, and my dad was being dramatic because he doesn't think I know about that…all the funny behavior could just point to my new family discovery.

* * *

**Seth's P.O.V:**

I watched as she tried to figure out the puzzle. I could literally see the wheels in her brain turning. She was so cute when she was thinking…

_Snap out of it Seth_, I had to remind myself. What if she catches you looking? I sighed. Tal would never figure it out, not until it was too late. And it was nearly too late. She pulled me up like it was nothing earlier at the house, and that is not something that I'm used to. Leah does _not_ count. If only I could tell her…I wanted to tell her. I wanted to so bad; to save the pain it was going to cause her. But, it was an unwritten law that we couldn't tell anybody. Embry couldn't tell Jake and Quil when he first phased, even when he knew they were going to join him soon.

At least I knew more about her now. Embry had told me what he had found out, but I wanted to hear it straight from the source. I had to because that was the only way anything was going to happen with us. I'm not sure on how imprinting and females go, but I don't want to make Tala love me. Imprinting's not like that, but it is pretty darn close. I fell in love with her by myself, but the whole rope thing did help a bit.

Okay, a lot.

But still. I wanted her to do it by herself, just because she wanted to, not because she had to. Is that too wrong to ask? I guess so, because fate thinks differently. Any week now Tala will go off the deep end, and she'll phase.

It just meant that I had to work quickly.

I normally was never this cocky, but in my defense, I had to try _some_ tactics. Crying like a baby to her was not going to help. Other than well, demoralizing, it was something I knew she'd hate.

"Ugh, I can't think of anything!" She moped, accidentally pressing the accelerator pedal.

I'm glad we were in park.

The car wheezed and she looked guiltily at me. A wisp of her wavy hair got in her eyes, causing me to have a sudden urge to push it back. My hand twitched annoyingly by my side, and I gripped the windowsill so it would stop spazing out.

"Was it Jacob or Sam?" She questioned me, probably trying to see if she could weasel the answer from one of them. Sam would rather go to the grave before doing that. He was already plotting something, but none of our pack could figure out what it was.

"Technically both, but for me it was Jacob."

"Okay." And with a determined look, she switched gears and began racing back in the direction we came from.

"What're you doing?" I had wanted to go into Queets. Apparently, they had some really good seafood, and I was debating whether to take Tal there or not. Guess that wasn't in the plan.

"Why, we're going to your favorite place," she said, fluttering her eyelashes innocently.

The Cullens.

On any other circumstances, that would be great, but _not_ now. Especially not now. She was too close…and I didn't want to lose her this soon.

"How about later?" I said half-heartedly. It was too late. She wasn't going to change her mind---that just didn't happen with my imprint. An evil smile slid over her mouth as she realized that she was going exactly where I didn't want her to go. And she went faster.

I was kind of awed at her while still wanting to yank the wheel from her hands. Sam wasn't kidding when he told me that she had a one-track mind. The proof is in the pudding.

"Oh c'mon, Seth. I'll even let Bella help us on our project, I swear. Scout's honor. I just need to at least _try_ and see if Jacob will tell me." I guess I looked depressed. I really needed to work on my expressions; it was hard because I was so used to people being in my head.

"Or," I started, trying to create a last-minute counter offer. "You can help Emily out---she's due any day now."

"Really?" Her eyes widened. "I must've been really out of it." She strummed her fingers a bit on the hard plastic, biting her lip. "I'll hang out with her afterwards then, and try to see if I can help with making the midnight snacks."

She must be really desperate to get the answer. Tala did not like the Cullens---that was very obvious. I couldn't see why, they were fine to me. Once you got over the fact that he could read your mind, Edward was actually pretty cool. I mean sure, they sometimes acted all proper and stuffy, but that was just how they rolled.

At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

I hadn't been over there a lot since I came back from Texas a month or two ago. Tala was my prime concern right now, and I admit it…I had gotten a bit preoccupied with trying to apologize to her. Funny---she had come to me, just like they said she would.

Huh. Guess they know what they're talking about after all.

And it did help that I was in all her classes now. I couldn't before because of Jake and Leah. My sister still was making fun of my whole episode with Tala's dad. At least it got her to come down, in my defense. The bat didn't hurt _that_ much---okay, it did a little, but it was _metal_.

"Earth to Seth," I heard Tala say. "I hope you aren't trying to tell me that I'm boring."

I laughed. "You are far from boring." She blushed in response and diverted her attention back to the road.

"Good, now where is the entrance again?" I looked around and realized we were outside of Forks. That couldn't be, we were just in Queets less than an hour ago and it takes almost two hours to get back here. I saw that the gas tank was almost empty. She had gunned it, just like Embry liked to.

They were more alike than I thought. So much for our first date. I'd make up for it later. I pointed to some trees and after winding down a narrow path, we rode up to the white house. She gasped at its hugeness, probably thinking about how loaded the Cullens were.

I wondered if she could smell the vampires.

"Alice really likes her air freshener," she muttered, turning off the engine. Yep, she could. This was not going to end well. Tala sat in her seat for a moment, debating whether to get out. I tried to reach for the keychain to drive us out of there before anything bad happened, but she whisked it out of my sight and unlocked the doors.

Great.

_Edward, can you call Jake out here?_ I thought, hoping we could make this a quick one. Maybe nothing would happen if she didn't go into the house. I knew she did not really want to, her only goal was finding Jake.

But, if she stayed here any longer than necessary, she wouldn't have to ask Jake. She would find out for herself. _Please, please Tal don't get mad._

If only she could hear me.

* * *

**Back to Tala's P.O.V:**

Jacob suddenly opened the door from the leech's house. It was almost as he knew we were here.

Seth.

Why didn't he want me to come here? He was the one who was always nagging me to be friends with the bloodsuckers. I snickered to myself. Seth thought I had flown here, but in reality, I just took a shortcut. There had been an old service road I found that had been hidden behind some bushes. It led right to Forks, no stops.

I glanced up at the sky and saw that if there weren't any little sparks, it would be a pitch black. Just exactly what time was it? There were so many more stars here than Texas, was it the pollution there or something? I guess it was because I was in a metropolitan area, I remember out in the country it was beautiful.

"Hey Tala—Seth! What brings you to this crypt?" Jacob called out cheerily, waving his hand as if everything was fine with the world. Seth just dragged his foot out in the dirt, nodding a 'hi.' Wow, way to be obvious. Jake looked at him worriedly, and then turned my way. Of course, my stomach chose _that_ moment to grumble from the lack of food. I suddenly realized that I was ravenous.

"Hey, I'm sure Esme's still got some dinner out, I can get you guys some if you want," Jacob offered, smiling.

Seth started shaking his head like a spastic on drugs. "Uhh, no that's fine. Tala just wanted to ask you something, and then we'll be off." I caught him trying to whisper something to the Alpha, so I cut him off.

"Yeah, we need to have a little chat."

"Food first," the russet-skinned native said, totally ignoring Seth's angry hand movements. I warily glanced at the door and shook my head. No way in hell was I going in there. This was a perfectly fine arrangement for me, thank you very much. I'd scavenge for food later.

"C'mon, they're not gonna bite---too much anyway." Jacob joked. Seth growled in response and stood in front of me. Somebody's getting a little protective. And the weird thing was, it didn't really bother me. Hey, if it kept me out of that madhouse, I was fine. I began to re-wonder why I even came here…why was talking to Jacob so urgent? I wanted that million bucks. Pronto.

"It's not that bad," a silky smooth voice came from out of nowhere. I jumped as Edward Cullen (at least, that's who I think it was) approached Seth and I.

"Jacob gives us a bad name," he added, showing off his pearly whites. There was a definite annoyance under toning that---I must congratulate Jacob later. "Nice to see you, Seth. I'd say it was quiet without you, but with Leah screaming and him," he jerked a finger at Jacob, "yelling, we've never had a moment of silence over here."

Seth unwound and gave off a huge grin. "Hiya Edward---missed you too." I bet the sneak was mentally warning the leech. Mind Raper, my new nickname for him, nodded slightly and I inwardly groaned. Of course. Just then, Bella came out with a little Nessie in tow. She seemed bigger than last time. I wondered when she'd reach her full age.

"Seven," Mind Raper informed me. Poor parents, they were more fun when they were younger. He glumly agreed and I took a step back. Whoa, the vamps weren't supposed to act like _humans_. They were all freaky and stiff. At least, that's what I thought…Alice didn't count. She was just a hyperactive pixie that unnerved me with her "visions." But Edward, he definitely was supposed to go into the category.

"Hey Tala," Bella greeted me. "It's great to see you again. I guess you and Seth made up?" She looked to my imprint for reassurance. He was hesitant, not sure what to say. I didn't know what the hell to say either, so I just kept my mouth shut.

"They're in process," Edward calmly explained to his wife. "Technically, they both love each other, but half of the imprint is being stubborn."

_Wow, thanks Edward. _I thought bitterly. It was obvious who he was referring too. Seth took this as a sign and his eyes were swimming with that stupid feeling that he always seemed to have. This was just peachy. And of course, Bella just _had _to ask what I was being "stubborn" about. Seriously, we were _right_here. If they just had to have this conversation, they should take it somewhere else.

"Wolves---she's not comfortable with him changing into a mutt."

"But---" Edward hushed her, finally listening to the shouting that was going on in my brain. He was so being annoying on purpose. Bella fumed silently before plastering on a fake smile for us, acting like the perfect wife she was. Mind Raper gave me a huge long look before moving on with business. Jacob was smirking.

Life sucks.

"What'd you need to ask me, Tal?" The boy turned his attention onto me.

"What the hell is this huge secret that nobody will tell me about? Seth can't---nobody can but you or Sam."

"So, Sam let you off hard?" He snickered, probably just imagining the possible scene I had had with my bipolar cousin.

"No, he told me to ask you." I lied, hoping Edward or Seth wouldn't tattle-tale on me. Mind Raper just looked amused, while Seth was making eye signals. I guess that was popular tonight.

"She's fibbing, Jakie," The evil devil spawn piped up. Whoops, I wasn't allowed to think that in the presence of her father. _Sorry Edward. _Yeah, if looks could kill…I'd be dead by now.

**TO REMEMBER: **Never insult Nessie with Edwardo around (or insult him too much either)

_Nessie _seemed all happy that she'd "caught me in act." Jacob just swung her up onto his shoulders and told her what a good, little girl she was. Way to smother her with love. He cocked his eyebrow and stared me down.

"Fine, he _will_ tell me to ask you. I know him." I told the werewolf confidentially. He snorted.

"You don't really know him unless you've been subjected to his mind. Tough luck." Then, the all mighty Alpha left me so he could play Sudoku with the Loch Ness Monster.

Such fun.

Seth put his hands on my shoulders and began directing me to the car. But of course, another bloodsucker had to intervene.

"Seth, dude, come out and play football with us. Somebody's being a---who's that?" Was he the infamous Jasper? I wasn't sure. Possibly that other guy's name…Seth was telling me something about him earlier. Evan? Edwin? Edmick?

"Emmett." The Mind Raper speaks. Oh, and he was matched up with that vain model. I think Jacob called her Blondie.

"It's Rosalie," Edward hissed. Not to me. She would be known now as Blondie…or Barbie if I wanted to be a _little_ more original.

"This is Tala," Seth shouted to Emmett. "You met her at the…meeting a month ago. Y'know the one about Kate and Garrett?"

"Oh," he used his super speed and was suddenly right in front of me. "Nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand and I touched it briefly---only to be polite.

"Damn, you're almost as hot as little Seth, here. Have you guys been doing a lot of hand touching?" He teased me. I paled a bit and looked at Seth. This was the final straw. He gave me an encouraging smile, and nudged me in the direction of the curly-haired vamp.

I shook my head and told him, "I want to go home. Now."

Emmett seemed offended, so I gave him a brief nod. "It's not you, I swear. I just…don't feel at home like Seth. I hope you understand." This apparently made total sense to him, and he yelled a goodbye over his shoulder as he attacked a lean blonde.

_That_ must be Jasper, I told myself. Where was Alice? Out of nowhere, she rushed out of the house, nearly tripping over the porch steps. And here I was thinking that bloodsuckers were supposed to be graceful. Edward and Bella rushed to her as the pixie shuddered, glancing into the deep unknown with blank, vacant eyes.

Creepy.

"No, no, no," she whispered before stomping her foot. "It disappeared! I knew we should've kept looking…" She blinked as if everything had come into focus. "This wasn't supposed to happen!" She appeared to be incensed. Edward exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What?" Emmett and Jasper jogged over to our little group, making it a seven-some.

"He didn't die. Nobody (insert glare at Edward) killed him like we thought. Kate gave up and…" She moaned a bit, winding off at the end as if it was obvious what was going to come next. I guess it was just _too_ obvious, because I had no idea what she was talking about. Seth didn't either, so I felt a little better.

"What are you saying, Alice?" He asked---worried. She gave him a terse smile.

"It's not that much really, just that, well. Edward and Bella went to go track Garrett when he disappeared, but when the trail went cold; they figured someone killed him off already. That didn't happen, he's heading this way after leaving a bloody mess, and some of the Volturi Guard are coming to exterminate him."

"What?" Seth, I, and pretty much everyone but Alice and the Mind Raper exclaimed in shock.

"Which ones?" Bella asked calmly. Alice shook her head, eyes wild. "I didn't see---it went blank. Apparently, the wolves are going to be involved somehow."

"I've got to tell Jake and Leah," Seth began moving towards the front door before it was slammed open by the two. Where had Leah come from?

"Tell us what?" Jake asked---his voice a deadly calm.

"The Volturi are coming," Alice squeaked. "Again."

* * *

**Dum Dum Dum….hence, the drama. So, love it? Hate it? Comments? No, I wasn't just going to leave Garrett alone. Hehe, that would make everything just too easy. Oh, Queets really is a community, I did not just make up that up---and there really is a reservation there. **

**I made a list on what I have left to write in this story…and it's pretty long *gulp* Hope I'm up to the challenge. My goal is to finish this by summer, maybe even sooner. It just depends. I know all you Seth lovers want them to hook up immediately (and you know they will eventually…) but that would be a little OOC, considering past chapters. So, be patient ;D it's happening, as you can slowly tell. I changed all the titles of my chapters if you want to check them out---I felt like being witty. Haha. **

**This is way long (made just for you) so please review and make my day! I always respond. **


	22. Just Pulled A Peter Pan

**Whoah? 500+ reviews? You have no idea how happy I am…I didn't even think this story would make it to half a thousand. And to think, I've actually had this chapter written for awhile…I know, shoot me. I've been withholding things from you guys. The next one is sort of kind of important, so I wanted to make sure this was just right…**

**Enjoy! And don't forget to review :D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad.**

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Two:

* * *

"_I've got to tell Jake and Leah," Seth began moving towards the front door before it was slammed open by the two. Where had Leah come from?_

"_Tell us what?" Jake asked---his voice a deadly calm._

"_The Volturi are coming," Alice squeaked. "Again."_

* * *

Okay, I know that I'm not an expert when it comes to bloodsucker affairs considering they scare the crap out of me, however, you'd think that I would have heard that name before. At _least_ in passing. Sadly, that wasn't the case so I ended up opening my huge mouth and getting the stare down of the year---maybe the century.

"They're---didn't Seth tell you when he was discussing our genes?" Jake finally spoke up. About time. Any longer and I'd probably throw a little kid tantrum due to my impatience. Hey, I can't help that the virtue isn't in my blood. Let's blame the parents.

"No," I bluntly replied. "So who the hell are they? The vampire mafia?" Emmett snorted loudly.

"The Volturi are similar to a royal family. They keep us in check, making sure we don't cause too much of a ruckus when feeding." Bella explained to me. "And they kill us off when we mess up."

Damn, I was right. Kudos to me. Mind Raper rolled his eyes at my thoughts. Ahh, the taste of victory is sweet. He turned to his sister. "If they are just incinerating Garrett, then we have nothing to worry about."

"Well, apparently we do, _Edward_, or it wouldn't have disappeared." Alice ricocheted right back at him. He seemed miffed, but pushed the emotion back before anybody saw him. Too late for that, leech.

"How long?" Leah asked---all business. I could tell that she liked being here about as much as me and wanted to move things along.

Edward cut off Alice right when she was about to open her mouth. "Soon, two days at most." Jeez, even I knew when it was time to use my manners…sort of. I pretended they didn't exist most of the time, but in polite society, they were vital to survival.

Depressing, right?

"What is your problem?" She hissed at him, her words almost a blur. If I wasn't listening closely like the eavesdropper I was, I'd have thought it was the wind. He shook his head, and started talking plans with Jasper. Wow, he was in for it later. I felt Seth come closer to me, and I must've unconsciously shifted nearer to him because he suddenly had this huge goofy grin on his face.

"Sorry," he shrugged. "I must've forgotten."

"Obviously, Seth, or we wouldn't be having this conversation right now," I said, giving him the perfect evil eye. His smile didn't falter, instead, he grabbed me around me waist and hoisted me out of the tight circle. "We're going. Jake'll fill me in later."

I let it slide.

However, when I realized he stole my keys out of my pocket, I didn't hesitate in yelling at him. "What the he---!" Suddenly, a wave of calm overcame me and my eyes started getting heavy. I staggered and fell to the grassy floor. My blood was now syrup. I caught a glimpse of Jacob glaring at Jasper before Seth hoisted me into the SUV.

I cursed all empaths----or whatever that leech was called. You don't just do that to people. Especially when they're unaware.

I needed to buy those bloodsuckers a damn etiquette book.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it," Seth tried to placate me on the way back to La Push. It was pushing one, maybe two in the morning. My dad was going to murder me in my sleep. I ignored Seth, trying to wake myself up. You know when your feet or hands fall asleep? It feels like needles are poking you, and no matter how much you grit your teeth, the pain won't go away. That's better than the numbness though---the numbness that currently kept my body out cold.

Stupid vampire.

"Go howl at the moon," I told him irritably. The idea sounded appealing enough. Suddenly, Darth Vader's "Imperial March" from Star Wars blared from my pocket, getting louder each second.

Wow, right on time.

With the little to none energy I had, I fumbled with the buttons and managed to put my cell up to my face. "Hi," I croaked, trying to figure out how much privileges I had left for him to take. It wasn't much of a count.

"Pititchu! Where are you? Come home now. I've been calling and you haven't been picking up your phone." Well no duh. I resisted the urge to spit back a response (not that it was hard---Jasper did wonders on the brain) and mumbled some gibberish into the line. Seth reached over and snatched the thing from me to put in his two cents.

"Sorry Mr. Uley, we're on our way now. We kinda got preoccupied."

"Preoccupied?!" My dad shouted. I groaned. Someone really needed to teach my soulmate how to talk to adults…especially their imprint's father. I could only imagine what was running through his brain right now. Even I winced at how bad it sounded.

"Seth, just lie," I mouthed to him. I _think_ he got the picture. "No, I meant, the car broke down and we had to call Jake. It took him awhile to fix it, but everything's good now."

If there's one thing I can tell you about my other half, it is this: Seth is a god-awful liar.

I wondered if that's why the fates matched us up. My _uniqueness_ made up for Seth's pureness---old-fashioned word, I know, but that's the only way I can describe it. Poor guy.

"Give the phone to my daughter," said my very pissed off dad.

"She fell asleep while we were waiting, so she's not really awake, sir." Seth was digging himself in a hole, even though some of it he could probably get away with. I'm sure the truth of how "an evil leech used his freaky abilities and delayed us" would go down well with my father.

"Seth Clearwater," my father started---the phone suddenly appeared by my ear. I wearily glanced at Seth before trying to make his no-so-good lie somewhat believable. It worked---barely. I think the tone of my voice was what made my father back off.

I was unbelievably exhausted thanks to the loser vampire.

I must've dozed off, because the next thing I knew I was in waking up in my bed to total sunlight. Crap, where were those blinds when you needed them? I blearily checked the clock and realized that I slept past noon. I started strangling with my sheets before it dawned on me that it was a Saturday.

Utter bliss.

I took a quick shower and ran downstairs, tying my damp hair back into a braid. Dad was in the kitchen fixing up some grilled cheeses, making them just how I liked it. Very cheesy. I quirked a brow and walked to the fridge to grab some sodas. When I set them down on the table, he passed me a nice and steamy sandwich, right off the pan, and sat down. I did the same, taking a gigantic, un-ladylike bite out of the gooey bread.

"Good to see that you're finally up," he commented, licking his fingers. I rolled my eyes, and continued to eat the delicious thing in front of me.

"What?" My dad smirked. "No snarky remarks for me to admonish?" He was baiting me. I really hated when people annoyed me while I was eating, and he _knew_ this. I looked down and realized I had finished off my grilled cheese. My stomach grumbled for more and I sighed.

"Can---" He quickly passed me another, chewing his own thoughtfully.

"So, Jackie doesn't know that her son's a shapeshifter?" I shook my head, relishing the cheesy wonder, completely focused on my food. Dad tried again to get me into conversation.

"Is he allowed?" Jacob wouldn't keep Embry from telling his mom---that was unfair. Sam might've, but…he was in a different pack now. I guess he hadn't told Jackie because, well, he was an idiot. Embry could save himself a lot of trouble if he just got it over with. I stopped. He might be afraid, like me. Afraid to tell her the truth.

I glanced at my father. I was being just as bad. Honestly, I didn't _want_to know the truth about Embry. I didn't _want_ to hear if my dad actually lied to me for all these years. Because that would hurt. A lot.

"Is he?" My father repeated, a hint of worry in his eyes. I nodded slowly, making a decision. It was now or never.

"Dad, I was----"

"Tala, we need to talk." Whenever you hear that stereotypical, hair-raising phrase, I suggest one thing: run. It meant you were in deep waters. However, I was currently sitting in a chair. Not the easiest thing to get away from when your father was the one with his back to the escape door.

"It's about Jackie," he continued, oblivious to my pained expression. "You probably figured out that we've met each other before." Was he seriously asking me that? Even a freaking monkey could tell.

"I don't like her," I told him outright. "She gives me the creeps _and_ tries to act like Mom." I wondered what route he would take. The 'quit being judgmental' one or the 'let's think about this' one. He took neither. Instead, he just waved his hand away at my statement saying, "I understand. That's what I need to talk to you about."

Kill me now. I decided I _really_ wasn't ready to have this conversation---maybe later. I began scooting back in my seat, but he grabbed my arm. "Please just hear me out." Shocked, I went into total still mode. He took that as a green light and plunged straight into his story.

"Pititchu, I…college…" He groaned. "This is harder than I thought it would be." I prayed he wasn't going to tell me what I thought he was going to tell me. Tapping his finger on the wooden table, he started up again. "I was stupid during college, pretty much just like any other guy. Cutting class, drinking, having the time of my life." Dad gave me a weak smiled. "You were right, I wasn't Mr. Perfect. Shocker, I know."

Was my dad trying to be funny? My stomach gave a little flutter. He was going back to normal---sort of. I swore I'd gotten my attitude from Mom a long time ago, but possibly I was wrong. Did I get it from him? He hadn't been the same since _her_ death…I hardly ever saw the old him. I could barely remember it. Suddenly, I turned back on my ears. Thankfully, I'd only missed the rambling.

"…it was before I was with Nina. I got drunk at this bar while talking to Jackie, and woke up the next day completely wasted in a hotel room. At least we were conscious enough the night before to call a cab," he ended sourly. His eyes found mine as he said the next sentence. "I thought nothing of it after. Jackie disappeared off the face of Washington, so I just went on with life. It hurt because we were friends, but I assumed she found someone and forgot about me. Then I met your mom." Dad's face went all dreamy. I'd never seen him talk about her like this. He went on, describing their first date and proposal. He even joked about how I was honeymoon baby.

Again, I began wishing fervently that he was just reminiscing for old times' sake, only explaining how he knew Jackie. Nothing else. You don't know how much I hoped for that. I wanted Jackie to be a lying cow, who _thought_ my dad was her son's father.

It could happen. I mean, technology nowadays included DNA testing…right?

Or maybe I was deluding myself. My dad kept prattling on.

"Anyway, before you were born, Nina…I mean your mom, wanted to move back to La Push. She wanted to be near her family, and I needed to be near your granddad. My mother passed away, and he wasn't taking it well. Neither was I or your uncle. My brother left Sam and his mom, letting them fend for themselves…" He watched me, as I swished crumbs back and forth on my plate. I didn't know what to say. I'd never heard much about what happened before I was born. Mom might've told me stories, but I was a seven-year-old---a child. I wouldn't have remembered.

Please, please let this be merely a history lesson. It didn't matter. My dad finally cut to the chase.

"I ended up running into Jackie at the gift shop down by the beach when getting some sunscreen. And of course I met Embry---she had brought him to work. He was only one then. I was obviously surprised, I hadn't seen her in forever---"

"So you left, and now you're telling me you want to start seeing her again?" I interrupted him, knowing that wasn't the case. Well, it technically was…but not the point of the story. Though, I really wished it was the point. Great, now_I_ was mind-rambling. I'm sure Edward would've been irritated. I smiled. That would be the perfect revenge---I stored it in my head for later.

"Not exactly." He said, shifting uncomfortably. My stomach plunged. All hope had flown out the door. It was true. Embry was…no, he couldn't be. Dad would've said something, no matter what that witch in the form of Jackie Call said.

"I found out she got pregnant after the one-night stand we had…and Embry was _my _son."

No, no, no, no. I closed my eyes, trying to not unleash the monster inside of me. I could just feel the anger building up. The anger that should've been let out right at Jackie. The anger that I should've expressed immediately to my dad. My nails bit into my soft skin creating deep, red marks.

"Which means---"

"You tell me this now?" I said, trying to contain myself. Must. Be. Calm. My dad didn't need this. No matter how much he deserved it, I couldn't give him hell. The look on his face…it was heart-breaking. I let myself unwind. New plan. I was going to give him scary passive me---which was almost worse due to the unpredictability.

"I---yes. I made a mistake, Pititchu. I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't really cut it, Dad. Think of Embry. Think of me." I didn't dare say 'think of Jackie' because I'm sure he was already doing that. A lot more than I cared for. "You," I thought fast, "you have been lying to us our whole lives, and haven't the decency to fess up before now. You deprived me of a brother, and Embry had been deprived of a father." He looked guilt-ridden. To add the cherry on top, I said, "What's even worse is that I already knew. Embry told me, and then his _mom_ reinforced it with her little tale." Another reason I did not like that woman.

"Tala, I---" He failed to finish his sentence, and I was already failing apart at the table. Salty tears were threatening to come out of my eyes.

"Why?"

He groaned, and I sort of felt sorry for him. However, I could've really cared less at that particular moment. The man in front of me---the _lying, fibbing, two-faced _man in front of me---was lost for words. "You found out?" He whispered weakly. "And you didn't say anything?" My dad was _mucho_ surprised.

I flashed him my pearly whites, heart only half in it. "Nope. I was waiting until we didn't have house guests to witness the massacre, which has been pretty tough these days considering dear, old _Jackie_'s always around." He winced. My own father winced.

Success.

The truth was finally unveiled, the cat out of the bag. He'd admitted his mistake to me. I knew two things. One, being around the house was going to be awkward for the next few months. Or years. And two, it wasn't because of Jackie that I hadn't confronted him. I'd been deceiving myself, pretending that what was true, well, wasn't. I was giving in to my little kid instincts, the ones where anything your parents say is law, golden and untouched. Everything else is a lie. Like Santa Claus. If they say he's real, he is. At least until you get a brain and actually wonder why everyone's so tired in the morning in comparison to your bouncing toddler self, whose only want is to look under the tree.

I think that was the real revelation. I guess I had been pulling a Peter Pan, afraid to grow up and face the truth. They're right. The truth hurts. And betrayal…betrayal sucks.

"I have to go out and find Seth." I got up from the table. I felt like I aged a few years. Batting back the slight rage, I tried to be "mature" and let my dad be. "Hopefully you don't have any other insane truths to tell me because apparently you're just full of them. You have my cell, maybe I'll actually consider answering this time."

Okay, just had to say that one. It was insensitive and the opposite of what I was going for, but I didn't care. When he finally stopped being a zombie, he'd probably reprehend me for it. Major time. Then he'd yell about Seth. All Dad did was nod faintly as I ran out my front door. I think I'd almost preferred Jackie telling me, at least it was to the point and to me, almost certain a lie.

I knew what happened wasn't going to fully hit me till later. Hopefully La Push didn't like their trees, because I was probably going to hit one of them in the near future---hard.

* * *

"Hey you." A light-hearted cheery voice called to me when I was wandering down a nameless street, drowning myself in self-pity like the angst-ridden teenager I was. Emily waved while trying to retrieve the mail. I cut through someone's lawn, and went to help her. The woman was _huge_.

"What day are you due?" I gasped, setting the letters on a table as she ushered me inside.

"Three days ago," she said merrily, drinking from a mug of steamy hot chocolate. She must be one of those women who were considered a happy pregnant.

"Shouldn't you be, I don't know, sitting _down_?" I told her, trying to pull her into the living room. "Any contractions?"

"Sort of," she admitted, "and I for some weird reason feel energetic. Maybe it's the werewolf blood." She giggled at her joke, taking another long sip. I always thought the out of wack hormones were supposed to consist of a lot of crying, plate throwing, and sudden bursts of madness. Not energy. Man, were those movies wrong.

"Emily," I said slowly, "this is _not_ normal. At all. Where's Sam?"

"Out," was her reply. Wow, so specific. Time for Plan B. "Em, where's Kim? Or Rachel? Or the rest of the pack?" Nobody would leave her home alone in this condition. Especially my over-protective cousin.

"Miles and Alex are asleep in the guestroom," she offered up. The newbies? Weren't they like ten? I couldn't remember…

"Em, how _old_ are they?"

"Same age as Collin and Brady----sophomores."Better than ten-year-olds, but still. I would think Sam would at least leave Seth or even Paul here with her. Guess nobody wanted to Emily-sit.

I made her lie down, and then I crashed onto Sam's huge sofa. I flipped on the T.V. to a random channel, not really focusing on the moving pictures.

Dad was the first thing that popped into my head. How could he? Why didn't he tell me…maybe he was lying. Then I thought about Jackie. She had told him not too, and all he was doing was trying to respect her wishes. My blood churned. The woman was ruining our lives. She had to _go_. So what if she was Embry's mom? She wasn't mine. I had no love for Jackie Call.

A loud snore echoed through the hallway.

What were the newbie names again? I hadn't met all of them, but Seth talked about them from time to time. Let's see, there was the posse for one, and they consisted of Ryan, Miles, and Alex---all a year younger than me. Then there was Eden and his brother Cameron, I think they were in the eighth grade and seventh grade respectively. Damien was the trouble-maker, the "Paul" of their group (I felt bad for that pack), and he was a freshman...Seth had some trouble with him the other day. I recalled there was one other werewolf, but the name was lost on me.

"Whatcha watching?" A brown-haired boy plopped himself next to me. Like all the other shapeshifters, he was huge and muscular with copper skin and you know---the works. He seemed oddly familiar. I bet nine out of ten it was the nameless newbie.

"No clue," I said, handing him the remote. "No gory stuff. I hate that." His eyes widened as he took it, surprised that I gave him free access to the heavenly device. The guy scanned me, giving me a weird look.

"You must be Tala," he said. "Sam's thought a lot about you."

"Is that supposed to be comforting? Or is it your idea of polite?" I asked him peevishly. He chuckled at a private joke. That just irritated me more. "Look, I just found out Embry's my half-brother, and I'm not really in the mood."

"You _just_ found out? I've known about that since you got here." He was really beginning to irk me.

"Thanks for the memo, then. I hope you've had a good laugh over your little secret. And for your information, I've known for a week now." I told him, tacking on "I really don't know why I'm still talking to you," as an afterthought.

"'Cause you're bored," he said, turning the channel to some cartoons. "It's not like I knew you or anything, so you don't have any reason to be mad at me." Of course he was right, but that didn't stop me from being any more of an ass to him.

"I hope you're not expecting me to give you some heartfelt apology," I informed him. "Because I'm currently out of that emotion."

"Are you always like this?" He wondered aloud.

"I don't know, ask your precious Alpha. Go dig into his mind and I'm sure you'll come up with something tasty."

"Well, you're more interesting then you are in school. What book are you doing for that English project by the way? I got partnered with Hays, and we still haven't figured it out. The thing's due Wednesday---we are royally screwed."

I could feel the blood as it pounded to my cheeks. "You're a _junior_?" It's safe to say he looked offended.

"What? Do I look like a twelve-year-old to you?"

I shook my head. "Sorry, but I gave up on trying to guess ages a long time ago. I rely on everyone else to tell me."

"So, I'm presuming you don't know my name?" Wow, I was looking pretty bad right now. I didn't respond. Hopefully, he'd think I was being difficult or something like that. Highly doubtful, but you never know.

"It's Nick. Nick Foster."

"I would say it's nice to meet you, but then I'd have to act genuine." I said, just trying to get a rise out of him. He started quivering. I rolled my eyes, and people thought _I_ was temperamental. "Kidding, chill out. Don't go all _werewolf_ on me. As you know, I'm Tala Uley, imprint to Seth, cousin to Sam, and sister of Embry."

"And descendent of Taha Aki," Nick said with a glint in his eye.

"Sure, whatever floats your boat," I replied. "Where's everyone?"

"Meeting at the cliffs. They're trying to figure out what the leeches want---I mean, other than to kill the bloodsucker that came on our land."

"So, were you one of the ones that saw them a year ago at the not-so-much battle?" I'd heard about the lovely details from my imprint in passing before Texas. I was glad I wasn't there.

"Yeah. Sam was in a frenzy with the whole pack split, but he had to go because the bloodsuckers would try to kill us off next."

"Where are they going to head them off?" I curiously looked at him---this information could come to my advantage. Nick, totally ignorant, informed me that the leech (aka Alice) told Jacob that the Italian mafia was at Wolves' Ledge in her vision. That was a few hours away from my house, near some cliffs off by the Pacific. Off Cullen territory. The packs were planning to go out there tomorrow on red alert.

"I just something stupid, didn't I?" Nick said, watching my expressions intently. Freak. He was catching on fast though.

"If I said yes, what are you going to do about it?" I inquired with an evil grin. "It's not like you can take it back."

"What if I lied?"

"You already proved that you _didn't_," I pointed out. "Anyway, I hate liars."

"You're going to hate the whole population pretty soon then," he mumbled under his breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He paid no attention to me and closed his eyes---promptly falling asleep. Jerk. Did the werewolves have some magical ability to fall asleep on moment's notice? Honestly, that was _not_ normal.

Shrugging my shoulders, I went to go make some popcorn.

* * *

"Nicholas? Where the heck are you? I told you to watch Emily!" My cousin's strained voice yelled into the living room. I shut off the T.V. and replied, "Yeah, he fell asleep an hour ago. Great guard dog."

"Tala?" He came up, looking down on me with a confused face."What are you doing here?"

"Emily invited me in. Your wife's a lunatic, Sam. She's so…" I stopped, grasping for a word.

"Wonderful?"

"Not exactly what I was thinking of, but sure." I handed him the greasy popcorn bowl and got up from the sofa. Nick stirred a bit, but still kept snoring like a truck driver. Sam's brows went up to his hairline, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Don't go nature walking tomorrow," he ordered me as I was stretching out my sore limbs.

"What if I want to?" I shot back, temper flaring a bit. His mouth snapped shut as he weighed his options.

"Listen to me for once in your life. Don't."

"Look, if you think I'm going to stay here while you guys go out to say hello to the leeches, you're wrong."

"Quit being stupid, what if one of them decides to target you? Then what we will do?" He was dead serious. I laughed.

"Protect me. Isn't the whole point of being a werewolf/shapeshifter thing?"

"No humans, sorry. I'm not risking it, and neither is Jacob. Or Seth. Think of Seth, Tala. If you got hurt, he'd never be the same."

"Are you calling me selfish? Fine. If I don't go, neither are you. Emily is going to have a baby any day now, and it's not going to help her if you're off fighting demons. What if she goes into labor?"

"I _have_ to go. You think I have a say in this? I'm Alpha. I wouldn't even think of leaving Em if I had another choice."

"Don't give me those same excuses when she's about to have _your_ baby," I told him a matter-of-factly. He gave me this huge 'the world is on my shoulders' sigh. Oh, he didn't even know the half of it. He thought _he_ was having problems?

"Can you watch after her, please? Kim and Rachel are going to be gone tomorrow with Claire on a shopping trip. I can leave some of the younger wolves. I don't think it's going to be like last time. I think it's more of a social call, but we can never be so sure."

Who in their right mind would want the Volturi make a social call on them? I mean, I guess leeches like leeches, but the Cullens didn't seem buddy buds with them when I was over at their house last night.

"I'll stay," a weary tone volunteered. Lovely. Nick was up.

"Take him with you," I immediately pleaded Sam. "Please? I'm your cousin."

"What's wrong with him staying?" Sam questioned me, a smirk forming. I promptly informed him that Nick was a moron, and Emily did not need those vibes around the house. It was useless, however, Sam made up his mind as soon as I opened my mouth.

"Nicholas, guard her. Make sure she doesn't leave the perimeter. And if anything happens…you know what to do." With that, he sauntered over to his bedroom to check on Emily. What!? Now I was the one being watched. This was so messed up. I was watching Emily, Nick was watching me, and Sam was a cocky werewolf whose wish just got granted.

This sucked.

Time to hatch a plan---it was one way to stop me from tearing Jackie to shreds. If I was busy, I wouldn't have to think about _her_ and my dad.

_Nobody_ was going to stop me from being at Wolves' Ledge... I would be there just to show Sam that he did _not_ have a hold over me. And no matter how much I tried to deny myself, I wasn't going to let Seth alone with those leeches. Yeah, he had Jake and whatever, but what happened if he got hurt? Edward was right in some sense, I _did_ care about Seth. Though, he would most likely want to kill me if he knew what I was going to try to do.

This was so stupid and insane. And yet, it was so me.

I was all over it.

* * *

**So, how was it? I was sort of kind of worried about this chapter….I don't know. If you're wondering with an insane interest, Nick only knew about the half brother thing because of Sam. And Sam found out (or at least had his suspicions) ever since Tala told him she was his cousin. Well, get excited for next chapter. And as for the Volturi...the main question now is why would they come to kill Garrett if the Cullens/Pack could do it themselves? All will be revealed.....And remember, they wouldn't come just b/c Garrett tried to kill Tala (though I'm sure she would be flattered)..he's done some stuff too when he was out of state. **

**I've already started writing next chapter---so more feedback=quick update. We get to meet the Volturi…hooray. *evil smile***

**Please review :D**


	23. Karma's A Bitch

**Ahh I just realized why people were a tiny bit confused---they were thinking that the Volturi's Big Three are coming. I forgot to reinstate in that last chapter that it is the guard coming (like Alice said in Ch. 21) not Aro and his freakiness---though I'd hate to face the guards too… Anyway, you're treated with another long chapter. Hopefully there aren't too many errors, I wanted to put this up quickly...Have fun reading! I know it was interesting to write *evil grin***

**Enjoy! And don't forget to review :D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad.**

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Three:

* * *

Nobody_ was going to stop me from being at Wolves' Ledge... I would be there just to show Sam that he did not have a hold over me. And no matter how much I tried to deny myself, I wasn't going to let Seth alone with those leeches. Yeah, he had Jake and whatever, but what happened if he got hurt? Edward was right in some sense, I did care about Seth. Though, he would most likely want to kill me if he knew what I was going to try to do. _

_This was so stupid and insane. And yet, it was so me. _

_I was all over it. _

* * *

My oh so brilliant tactic?

Didn't happen. I know, it was great too. I had everything mapped out---everything precisely timed.

Freaking illness.

I snuck into my room late last night and woke up at three in the morning feeling like crap. It was like someone had thrown me off one of those roundabouts you see in the little kid playgrounds, and then promptly beaten me with a stick.

My dad found me puking in the bathroom.

"Did you drink?" He asked, getting me a rubber band to put up my long hair. I was able to shake my head before my stomach heaved another time. This was _disgusting_. I sat back and leaned against the cold metal of the shower. I felt cold for the first time in days---weird, considering I lived in the rainiest area of Washington.

"Are you---pregnant?" My dad stumbled, trying to guess why I might be throwing up in the morning. I was strong enough to glower at him, right before I doubled back in agony. It was attacking my body, my legs…I ached _everywhere_.

"Have you been getting enough sleep?" He asked again. "You weren't up that long after you crept through the kitchen last night. So I don't----"

I groaned loudly---from the sickness or the fact that my dad actually cared, I didn't know. He began playing "medic" and put a washcloth to my head, helping me onto my feet. I was powerless. This was like being a puppet to Jasper's ability, but with pain.

"Damn," I clenched my teeth. "I probably just have the flu." Wasn't it flu season? And I'd forgotten to take a vaccine---of course.

"The flu?" Dad was suddenly way more alert than before, hoisting me into my bedroom. He ran and got a bowl just in case I got sick again and then headed for the phone.

Who would be awake at this hour? I turned over in my bed, now facing the window. The sky was too dark, and the stars were too bright. And my dad's shouting wasn't helping anything, too far away…My watering eyes slowly began shutting, and I fell asleep to the howl of a wolf.

* * *

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," an unfamiliar voice woke me up. I ignored it and put a pillow on my head. It was too early, and I was really tired. Insanely tired.

"You _are_ such a killjoy," it muttered, and I threw the pillow in the direction of where I hoped its face would be. The freaking thing laughed and I heard the whoosh of the material as it hit the wall.

Dang. I missed.

"Go away!" I growled.

"Well, good to know that you're feeling better. You've slept a whole seven hours." Why would I be feeling bad? Suddenly, it all came back to me. The vomiting, dad…No wonder I felt like shit.

"What?" I muttered and blinked open my eyes. I was lying in a familiar blue guestroom, one that I didn't think I'd ever come back to. And Nick was there. Cheery, annoying, Nick.

I think I felt even sicker.

He gave me a grin worthy of Seth's. "Yeah, you moan in your sleep by the way. A lot."

He then proceeded to imitate me. Loudly.

"Maybe it's because I'm sick, nimrod." I cursed under my breath wishing that I didn't chuck my only barrier of protection at him.

"Whatever you say," he picked up a glass of water from the bedside table and shoved it in my face. "Drink this."

"Is it contaminated?" My eyes narrowed suspiciously. Nick rolled his and put it down again. "Why am I even here?"

"'Cause you're _sick_," he air quoted. I fired a glare and he sighed. "Jeez you're no fun. Your old man brought you here so I can watch you and Emily without having to phase between houses."

"You're lying," I said, pushing back the covers. "My dad doesn't know about the leech mafia, and he would never let me come here for no good reason."

"Maybe he and Sam made up, I don't know. I'm no secret keeper." Nick shrugged. "Look, we didn't get off on the right foot, what do you want to do today? I'll let you pick." Wow, wasn't he the gentleman. He thought he was being so self-sacrificing.

"Hypocrite," I murmured. "And nothing. Leave me alone." Nick scanned me hesitantly for a moment before backing out of the room and closing the door behind him. I sighed. I needed to get out of here. I peered around the room, wondering if there was another way out.

The window.

I glanced at the shut door, calculating how long it would take for Nick to realize I'd escaped. His wolf instincts weren't exactly dull---if I gave him some cheese however...no. Escape first. I scrambled out of the bed as fast as I could without overexerting myself.

My goal right now was to just get to my house. Then, I'd go to the Ledge just like I had planned to do before my little "obstacle." I would just be leaving a tad bit later than I'd hoped. Lifting myself out off the warm, comfy mattress, I tried to convince myself that I was feeling better, but I was seriously delusional. My face was already sheen with sweat and my breathing was spurting out in dog-like pants.

Great.

Right as I fumbling around with the rusty window lock, Nick slammed the chalk white door open and swiftly grabbed me. Way to make an entrance---and damn he was strong. I kept forgetting that he could probably lift a car or two and still live to tell the tale. Struggling uselessly, I felt like one of those marionette puppets as he lifted me up and pushed me onto the same couch I had lazed on yesterday.

"Man-handler," I snapped, trying to straighten my limbs out.

"I thought you were going to sleep," he said densely. I gave him an 'are you serious' look along with whole lot of hateful eye-balling. Nick pursed his lips and nodded to himself with a slight smile. He left the room for a second and came back with a roll of something. I cranked my neck back to see what it was. It better not be…He measured it and made a loud ripping noise.

My eyes widened as I watched him break off a huge strand of duct tape.

"You wouldn't dare," I said, head still dizzy. I tried to get up, but the effort caused sharp spasms to run down my legs. Quick as lightning---quite literally---Nick attacked my wrists and ankles with the sticky strips, binding me so I could barely move an inch.

"You suck."

He smiled brightly. "That's not even the best part." Magically, rope appeared in his hands and he tied me up _again_.

"You're right, you-----" Nick put a finger to my lips. I had an urge to bit it because that and talk was about all I was able to do at the moment.

"Now, now, now. Let's not get too hasty. I'm purely only acting on orders." The smoothness of his words made me seethe.

"Which were…?" I said, sneering. He bared his teeth, "To restrain you if you tried to escape."

"With duct tape and rope?" I yelled, my vision now turning red. Out of nowhere, he poured a bucket of cold water on my head. It was like he was anticipating my reaction. I am almost _positive_ that that is not a way to remedy a sick person.

"He didn't have a preference," Nick lightly replied, watching the liquid boil on my skin. I was furious. First, he ties me up, and then he dumps water on me. And I'm not feeling well to top it all off. What the heck is wrong with him?

"Lighten up, seriously. If you don't…something bad's going to happen."

"To you," I spat. Way to be specific.

"That's the spirit," he slapped me on the back cheerily. "Now what do you want for breakfast? All I know how to make is toast--- I hope you don't mind if it's a little brown."

"Guess I don't have much of an option then." I said resentfully. He messed around the kitchen banging Emily's good pots and pans before producing two burnt pieces of bread with a stick of butter on top. I suppose he wanted to be creative.

"I can't eat," I showed him the restraints, "if I can't move." He decided to feed me like I was a baby. If he was trying to get me to calm down, this was _not_ the way. After my forced breakfast, Nick sat at the other end of the couch and turned on a basketball game.

I was bored to tears.

It's safe to say that I was nearly radiating happiness when Emily called for him to her bedroom. She probably had a craving or something and needed food. That was the pregnancy norm, right? I didn't know---I was inexperienced when it came to that sort of thing.

I tried to flex my hands---it was obvious that I was losing blood flow. Stupid Nick, bet he didn't think about _that_. With a sudden urgency, I began trying to tear through the bonds like a crazy woman. I used every ounce of strength I had and almost instantly my hands were let free. In slow motion, I heard the rope fall to the ground and the tape rip.

Damn I was good.

Nick was an awful Boy Scout---he couldn't even tie the simplest knots.

I untangled my legs from the mess of string, grimacing as the tape ripped at my skin. Spurts of adrenaline were now pumping through my body. I had no plans to stay. In little to no time at all, I opened the front door and got the hell out of Dodge.

It wasn't till I was a few streets down when I began to lose it. My head started swimming and everything was losing focus fast…Somebody had clogged my ears with Kleenex---everything seemed so distant and unreal.

My plan didn't seem so foolproof anymore.

_Luck always has its downsides._

My math teacher last year frequently told us this whenever one of us scored a high score on one of his impossible tests. At the time, I thought he was a pessimistic man who wanted us all to fail at life. Now, I realized what he meant. And I really, really wished I hadn't.

I heard a faint shout from the direction I came from. Was it Nick or Emily? I didn't know---I couldn't think straight. If it was my cousin's wife, I was already toast. _Please, please don't be in labor. _If it was Nick, he just found out that he was a lousy security guard and I seriously could care less. Then again, for all I know, it would just be some neighbors bickering at each other.

And that was very common in La Push.

"_You took my racket, you fool!" _Some random dudes down my street last week.

"_Nope, Bob didn't see that bear trap yonder. I must've forgotten to warn him." _Old men in the convenience store the other night when Dad asked me to go get some toothpaste.

Yeah, it was such a great little village. I'd recommend it to any happy family. My house was now in view---freedom. I thrust open the porch door and ran to the medicine cupboard. See, the reason I never went to the hospital much wasn't because I was a balanced child---I wish. It was because medicine actually _worked _for me---it did exactly what it said it would do on the bottle (minus the side effects). I downed a couple of Advils with a glass of hastily drawn water. Hopefully I don't blow up or anything because I'm pretty sure the max pills you can take is three---at least that was the most I'd ever swallowed at one time.

Ugh, my body hated this virus and all I wanted to do was for it to go away.

For good.

* * *

There are exactly four ways to get to Wolves' Ledge.

-Scale the cliffs from the Pacific and pray to all that's holy that you won't fall off---tricky and really stupid north route.  
-Use the flipping road and drive as if you were driving to Seattle, but take a left and dive into the trees (after hiding your vehicle of course). West route.  
-Pretend like you were _coming_ from Seattle and take the opposite side of the forest that you would've taken if you followed Plan B. Oh and don't forget to lock your car, take your keys, and hide your belongings---in that particular order cause it just makes total sense. East route.  
-Do some partying in the Olympic National Park and go north to the Ledge---though watch out, there are angry werewolves roaming lands between that lovely south route as well as the west route. Unadvised.

It's pretty central in other words _and_ in the middle of nowhere.

I chose Plan C like I had originally decided before the lovely surprise this morning. I was going to head for Seattle, make a U turn, and then get on the other side of the clearing so nobody would see me. I just hoped that the leeches wouldn't come from that way---if they did, I was majorly screwed. I would probably be on their side of the meeting place though. That was depressing enough as it was, but hey, it was either that or being discovered by the overprotective shapeshifters. No way in hell was I going to be caught by Sam and Jacob. They would bar me up in my house and hold me there hostage (not that my dad didn't already do that). And nobody would question their authority.

Nobody.

* * *

Dizzy, tired, and really annoyed. Those adjectives describe my current mood. Why can't I make plans that are simple and flawless? I swear, it took me an hour trying to figure out where I was, thirty minutes to hide the car, and fifteen or more to find a good spot to eavesdrop.

I _hate_ GPS systems.

I blame them for my troubles----okay, them and my messed-up, fevered head. What happened to the good old maps we used to have? Dad didn't trust his "brain compass" (not that I blame him---he's awful at navigating) so he decided to get one of these machines. For one, the stupid things give you the _longest_ route to get to your destination, and then they get mad when you try to speed (oops), and sometimes you don't even get to where you wanted to go. And due to my urgent want to get here fast, I had idiotically used it.

The only mildly uplifting thought I can think of right now is that I only missed the "polite and civilized" introductions. Snore. I already know who everyone is---minus the leech mafia. I seriously hope I wasn't caught by those Volturi parasites---if I was, well that would suck. Big time. At least they were only the guards…but even those probably had wicked powers. Not much reassurance. I shuddered at the fact that the three leeches with their backs currently toward me _liked_ to kill humans. The mafia was all dressed in gray---_such_ a bright color---with their backs to me. There were two guys and one girl---two short and one tall.

Not that I cared. Stupid _cannibals_.

Three miles. That was the only space between us.

My goal now was to remain as quiet as possible---or I'd be noticed. Pity. Why'd all the creatures that weren't even supposed to exist get sonic hearing? Kicking some leaves away as silently as I could, I cautiously swung myself up to the first branch of a tree. I continued to do this until I reached the top. I thanked my lucky stars that Dad used to be a nature buff---I owed him major time for my tree-climbing skills.

Phase One: find a hiding spot, is complete.

Why was I doing this again? Oh right. Pride and Seth----I was beginning to doubt which one came first. I checked my ensemble I threw on. I was dressed in green---the perfect camouflage for sneaking around dangerous territory. Also with me was a pair of bulky binoculars, a flashlight, more pills, and a thing of chocolate (thanks to Nick's delicious breakfast earlier). I pushed my hand through my hair and pulled out a gigantic green leaf. What was I---a magnet? I brushed out a few more before concentrating back on my prime goal. I lifted the binoculars to my eyes. The wolves seemed to have been stationed here since the morning. I caught a glimpse of a sandy coat at the edge of the clearing. Surprisingly, I was able to hear what everyone was saying.

Yeah, I know. I'm just_ that_ cool.

I bet it was because of the forest surroundings---evergreens weren't exactly known to be the biggest sound makers in the bunch, and the bloodsuckers scared away all the other wildlife. Seriously though, I know this place is deserted and all, but the leeches still needed to at least _try_ and be quiet.

Phase Two: find targets, is complete.

Gah, focus. Although I no longer had the urge to puke---a plus in my book---I was still feeling a little off. Everything seemed tilted. With some effort, I could figure out the gist of what was going on---sort of.

"Oh look, another one. You would think they were staging a war against us." One of the evil vampires drawled as Alice joined opposite ranks. Her sweet chiming voice had an undertone of malice.

Yep, they were a fun bunch---I could already tell this was going to be good. Leech against leech. Where's the popcorn when you need it?

"We weren't informed that you were going to be coming by," the father of the Cullen bunch said, choosing his words carefully. The atmosphere was tense. I could feel it all the way from my hiding spot.

"It was unplanned," she waved it off. "And anyway, we knew you would find out one way or another .We were just in passing and wanted to say hello to our…friends."

"Nothing else," growled Mind Raper, automatically stepping in front of Bella. She seemed to be concentrating hard on something, screwing her face as if she was solving a huge math problem. Man, he was horrible at this game---because that's all it was. Merely a game. You had to play by the rules to win, hoping like mad that nobody such as our dear Edwardo would mess it up and cause a reason for an unwanted attack.

He _needs_ to watch more T.V.

I checked the space between us---good, he couldn't hear me. I heard his limit was two miles, and that was only _if_ he was familiar with a mind. And to top that off, the wind wasn't blowing their direction, so I was all clear on that factor.

Yes, I did my homework. Surprised?

"How is the young one? Our masters were very _intrigued_ by her the last time we met." Bella and the Mind Raper stood a little straighter at the mention of their devil spawn, nodding their heads in response---I guess talking wasn't actually permitted.

"Who have you just burned?" asked Carlisle. I sniffed the air---it smelled like burnt sugar. Gross. I plugged my nose in order to stop the pungent stench from coming in further. Too late. A wave of nausea hit me as an aftereffect and I nearly fell out of the tree. The bark cut into my skin as I tried to hold on. I winced---way too close of a call. If any drop of blood fell, all hell would break loose. Trembling, I swung myself back into position.

"The nomad we encountered in our previous meeting with your _delightful_ family was on our 'wanted' list." The female said, inspecting her nails. "He made too many mistakes, leaving enough evidence for the _humans_ to find." She spat the word like it was dirt. How offending. I hope someone poked her in the---

"He was ours," Mind Raper interjected into the conversation. Damn it. Just keep your mouth shut, bloodsucker.

"We did not realize you had a claim on it," a dark-haired mafia member spoke up. "It was a shame we got our hands dirty." I watched as some of the Cullen's repressed snorts. The little girl's hands twitched as if she wanted to smother them.

"I doubt that, Demetri."

He paused as if debating something. "It was good to see you again, but we must be on our way. We've got appointments in Canada and Greenland. I'm sure Aro will be pleased to find you and your guard dogs are well." I could hear the growling from the trees. This "Demetri" parasite gave off a sinister laugh and added, "We have extended our stay here, I see. You can put down your shield _newborn_."

Shield? I bet that was Bella's power.

"Unless you would like to join us? The invitation is still being offered for you and some particular members of your coven." Huh, guess they weren't uber sensitive about excluding people. He twisted his body until he was directly facing Edward, Jasper, and Alice. The two small gray-cloaked leeches' shoulders tightened, and I saw their hands ball up into fists.

Apparently not everyone was so welcoming. I wish I could see the trio's demon faces, everything would be a lot easier if I could figure out their expressions.

"We are going to hunt if any of your coven wants to join us," the girl directed her question to Carlisle; she said it cruelly, as if she was going to enjoy what she killed.

Oh right, they were dead corpses that drank blood. A shiver went down my spine. Maybe it was time to make my grand exit---I'd seen all that I needed to see. Seth wasn't hurt, and I had more than enough information to shove into Sam's face.

The other midget spoke up for the first time, his mocking voice as deep as an adolescent's. "What? You don't trust us? We aren't in your territory. If you want, we will even amuse you and drink from animals."

The girl coughed in disgust, and even the other leech of the mafia crew looked revolted. By this time, my binoculars were cutting into my skin. I would probably end up having some darn pretty raccoon eyes after this.

"My family has no reason to trust you."

Burn. Get that you human-drinking bloodsuckers.

Phase Three: get dirt to show off, is complete.

"Then we will leave," Demetri said, gesturing the others to follow him. They turned around and I nearly gasped at the sight of their crimson eyes. Crap, I had to get out of here. Fast. "Hopefully we'll be on better terms the next time we meet."

There was as much sincerity in his voice as there would be in a rock's.

Everyone started taking their separate paths. I gulped. I was sort of, kind of officially screwed. Nobody knew I was out here and even if they did find out eventually---it would be too late. I was the _worst_ example of the "buddy system"--- you know, that rule we learn as kids? Always take a friend, blah blah blah. I guess it wasn't such a stupid idea after all.

I was such a moron.

The pack would've been _fine, _they had the Cullens to back them up of the meeting went awry. And my own personal pride got in the way of common sense.

Note to self: never go to any "social meetings" with leeches _again_.

Embry was right. Karma's a bitch.

Weighing my options, I scrambled out of the tree and ran as fast as I could towards my car. It didn't help that I was scared to death and couldn't see straight due to the flu.

I could hear the mafia coming closer and closer. And they were doing their "human pace," imagine if they started running…I reverted my mind up to the task at hand. I could always jump off the cliffs, I mean, that would be a better death than getting my blood sucked out. I fell to the ground, and cringed as some sharp rocks cut into my knee.

My mistake.

_They_ smelled me now. I could hear a shrill of glee from the girl.

I was the prey, they were the hunters.

Surveying my location, I froze. I hadn't gone in a direct route, and now trees were all around me. And they were unfamiliar. Shit. Of course on an escape mission, I just _had_ to get lost. And with flesh-eating vampires on my tail. Great---fate officially was a pain in the ass.

I skidded from running into a tree and reeled to my immediate left. Bingo. Car. Praise the Lord. My legs were shaking as I literally jumped into the SUV and started the ignition.

I would be home free once I hit the road. The mafia told the Cullens they wouldn't eat any_body _up, and I was bargaining on them to keep their promise---for ten minutes at most. Speaking of the leech family, why didn't they follow the guard? Who in their right mind would give them an all clear? I mean, it wasn't like they were trying to be nice earlier or anything.

Edward especially should be wary. Ugh, I knew the Mind Raper would let me down and lose for us---he was _supposed_ to be reading brains here. Unless he wanted me to get killed. But he liked Seth too much for that…right?

I slammed on the accelerator and speeded all the way till I got to the narrow service road.

That was way too close of a call. I turned on the GPS system and wanted to bang my head on the wheel. Of course, I just _had_ to go the same route as the flesh-eating zombies. The wrong route. I glared at myself in the rearview mirror. I was such a dumbass.

And there was no way in hell I could turn around. On my left were the cliffs and on my right was the mafia.

Perfect. Nope, I wasn't going to die today for sure. I began thinking up some last words for like the millionth time in my life. Except this time I was pretty sure they would count.

"Shit!" I screamed as I caught sight of what was up ahead. Three leeches lined up all in a row. Glaring at me. Yeah, not creepy at all. I wanted to pee in my pants right about now. I frantically tried to decide how I wanted to die.

-keep going forward and hit mafia dead on (no pun intended) while thoroughly killing self.  
-change gears into reverse, or get off the road—making it even a more thrilling chase for the leeches  
-stop the car right now and climb a tree like a monkey---waiting for doom and a painful death  
-surrender self and hope for the best, who knows, maybe they'll want to be buds for life---literally

A person with self-preservation would stop the car and a coward would get out. I didn't feel like being generous to the bloodsuckers so that left me one option.

Run them over.

I had no other choice. No one was going to save me anytime soon and I was about two seconds too late to change plans anyway. If this were to happen in different conditions, I would maniacally laugh and go forward with a gleam in my eye.

Oh screw it. I was dead anyway.

I grinned, flashing my pearly whites at them. Then I pressed the accelerator for one last time.

* * *

The GPS system saved me. Along with the air bags. Irony at its best.

At impact with those stony statues, I flew through the window and banged my body against a tree. Those things just _had_ to keep getting in the way. Freaking Olympic National Park. Thanks to it, I was now free dinner for one hungry, red-eyed trio.

A familiar sickening scent filled my nose as I heard a bell-like tone exclaim, "Well, what do we have here?" A china doll was studying me---I swear, it could be a twin of one of those beautiful porcelain things you see on the shelves. However this one, this one was plain scary. She had the deadly beautiful looks that would be shown on a horror film.

And I had the urge to do what the poor victims in the movie wanted to do: run. Except that really wasn't happening, because the tree---instead of knocking me out---made sure that my right ankle was completely useless. I was scratched up from the broken glass. And I'm probably internally bleeding as well, but who knows? Now I couldn't even do Plan C.

I should've just reversed. Good job _smart one_. When I started out today, I'm pretty sure that being surrounded by enemy leeches was not in the agenda.

Almost positive.

"Can it speak?" The one called Demetri came up, giving me a dazzling smile. Oh right, I was supposed to be an _allured _victim. Admittingly, he was handsome, but he had nothing on Seth. Then again, I was sort of biased. And my head hurt. Go figure.

I wish I could be the sort of person who is able to rationally think during a time of crisis. But no, sadly, I'm not the type of girl. Instead my mind is screaming _holy crap_ and only opening itself up to useless things that are no help to me whatsoever in the matter of life or death. Like the fact that the two shorties are twins.

"We'll see," the girl turned her blood-lusting eyes on me and I knew I was doomed.

My vocal box exploded.

Red hot coursing pain flew through my body as if I was being electrocuted over and over again. It was like something was eating me alive and I could feel _everything._ It burned.

And suddenly it stopped as quickly as it started. I lay gasping on the mossy ground, body drenched. Every nerve aching.

"Does that answer your question?" She kicked my legs---an action that would probably leave a permanent bruise. Not that I wasn't already scarred for life anyway.

"Jane, don't play with your food," the twin told her. He was similar to her, but with thinner lips and wider eyes.

"It smells like those mutts---I wonder if it's associated with them?"

I decided that I didn't have much to lose considering I already felt half-dead, and told the demon vampires to shut up. Let me tell you…not a good idea. I quickly received another dose of the pain tonic---instead of fire this time, I felt like I was drowning.

My mind was literally on the verge of collapse.

"Now you've done it, Jane." Demetri took a glance back where they came from. "Take the girl and run---she'll be excellent bait for any guard dogs wanting to enroll themselves in Aro's experimenting games."

Midget crinkled his pretty nose and reached towards me.

One thought raced through my brain.

No way in _hell_ was I going with them. I would rather be chalk white and lifeless than to be put at the mercy of _Jane_ again. With dead accuracy and a lot of non-existent energy, I punched him in the face and gasped for breath as I rolled over and tried to stand.

Oww, crap. This was going to hurt. However, although the witch was more into mental pain than physical---for ramming into a tree, I felt like a run-over squirrel rather than the squashed up pumpkin I should've been.

One positive outlook to my situation. The only one.

"Get away from me," I shouted at them, backing up into a cedar. My body was shaking with anger and frustration----why can't anything go right in my life? I heard noise in the distance, but couldn't put a finger on what it was. My head was going to seriously explode. It was like when you had a migraine---all your senses were tingling alive and hurt like a bitch. The leeches made a hasty grab for me, and I slipped on the grass in efforts to get out of the way.

Damn ankle. Using a branch as support, I got up and tried hobbling.

"Feisty one," Demetri commented and in one super-speed move, I was on his shoulder. My body had an instant allergic reaction to the bloodsucker. The hairs on my arm stood on edge and a sharp sensation prickled down my back. Every nerve—every pore---of me was on instant alert. My muscles began convulsing and through blurry eyes, I tried kicking any place I could reach. He clamped down hard on my shoulder, causing a small cry to come flying out of my mouth.

That just made me even more enraged. With a vengeance, I did anything possible I could to hurt him. I even bit the man-eating bloodsucker. I was like an animal.

My goal now: survival (something hard to dream about when the captor could break your neck with one gesture)

And then I was airborne.

I got thrown into---what do you know---a tree again. Mighty popular these days. What was his freaking problem? I'd already been beaten up enough today. And why the hell were they doing this to me? Couldn't they eat me and be done with it? Before, I thought they were trying to keep the peace---not disrupt it. Yeah right. Those two-faced, lying parasites. White-slashing fury overcame my senses and I sprung out at Demetri, wanting to murder the leech with a blatant rage.

The volcano inside of me erupted.

My body started shifting into something foreign. Muscles bunched and expanded, bones lengthened and rearranged----I felt like I was dying. Again. This was worse than the flu, worse than hitting concrete and getting flung into a tree, and even worse than Jane.

This was hell.

I had no control over anything---nothing was working. The fire was swallowing me up. My head was like a corkscrew---twisting and turning---my temples were pounding, and my vision was completely cut off. It was like being on a torture machine, being stretched and reshaped until you were something different entirely.

_What was happening to me?_

At the very height of everything, the pain became unbearable, and I burst----long fine hairs covering my deformed body.

When the pain finally dissipated, I realized that all I could see was a hazy mist---it was everywhere. Dense, cloying flavors filled my nose…

Instantly, all my senses went on shutdown.

I couldn't see or hear. I couldn't smell.

I couldn't _feel_ anything.

The numbness cloaked me, and all I knew was darkness.

* * *

**I admit, I did **_**not**_** like Breaking Dawn---but it did give me a few things to work with ;D (just in case you're wondering what the heck just happened..major hint) So, what did you guys think? I know a lot of you have been dying for this from the start. Hope it lived up to your expectations. **

…**.please review? (esp. on this chapter) feedback is crucial…:D**

**Ode to Tala (from the author)**: I want to, uh, apologize for all that I've put you through…and I'll try to make it a bit less _painful_ in the future. It was necessary because you're so damn stubborn about being strong. There, I'm finished.


	24. Seth Interlude: My Imprint's A Vegetable

**You guys are great---thank you so much for all the feedback. Sorry this one was a little later than usual. Exams are coming up, something hopefully some of you can relate too. This chapter is in Seth's P.O.V. due to Tala's---well----inability to do anything. You'll find out more later about that in the chapter if you haven't already guessed it. There will be a slight repetition of events because I couldn't leave them out…anyway, hope you like it! I love the pack. **

**Enjoy! And don't forget to review :D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad.**

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Four:

* * *

_When the pain finally dissipated, I realized that all I could see was a hazy mist----it was everywhere. Dense, cloying flavors filled my nose. _

_Instantly, all my senses went on shutdown._

_I couldn't see or hear. I couldn't smell._

_I couldn't feel anything._

_The numbness cloaked me, and all I knew was darkness. _

* * *

**Seth's POV:**

Something was wrong.

I shifted uncomfortably in my place by the trees. I was _supposed_ to be guarding the northern border---a pointless job given at the Beta's request. It served its purpose well: I would be for sure kept out of the way in case things got out of hand. Sam did the same with his pack, giving the outer rims to the youngest.

It sucks being the baby of the group sometimes. I may be able to skip the whole carding process to get into a bar (tried it last summer---Mom wasn't amused), but physical appearance didn't matter in the pack considering we all pretty much could pass as adults in our early twenties. I may look mature, but according to the others, I certainly don't act it. Personally, I think their opinion is biased. Edward agrees with me.

At least I have one person---no matter how dead he is---on my side. I mean, he should know. He's spent more than a hundred years stuck in a seventeen-year-old's body. Now _that_, my friend, is some rotten luck.

I glanced again past the vampire's meeting place. Someone was watching me, I could feel it. But all I could see was green, green, and more green. What good were these superpowers if they didn't even work?

_Quit being paranoid. _My sister thought to me while calculating which of the Volturi she could take head-on without much collateral damage. None without Jake. I heard a snarl come from her mouth and I backed off. It would not be a good time to get into a fight with her just now. After though…

_You're on._ She replied to the challenge, pawing the dirt. I gave her a wolfy grin and went back to scanning the trees. I swore I saw movement for a second, but I guess my eyes were deceiving me. Again. There was nothing was there.

_Rabid squirrel!_ Embry wildly yelled in my head, trying to avoid the animal. Jake was positioned near the Cullens so he wouldn't have to hear this madness. Which meant Leah was in charge.

Great.

…_such a baby, Embry._ Quil laughed while trying to keep a serious façade on for the royal family's guard.

_Shut up, both of you. Meeting's almost done. You can act like pathetic losers and go back to your sorry lives afterwards._ My sister kindly told them off.

_And the harpy attacks. _Embry announced, earning another growl from the Beta.  
_At least I have a life._ Quil was so in for it later. Leah began cursing in her mind 'bout how she didn't deserve this etc. I squared my shoulders, hoping that I wouldn't fall over like last time. Now that was a sorta embarrassing moment. Jacob blamed my gawkiness while cracking up with Nessie. You _know_ you've made a fool of yourself when you have a half-breed laughing at you. I mean, they're the epitome of weirdness. No offense to Nessie of course.

_Seth, quit talking to yourself. _I could practically hear the smirk on her face.

_When you quit pining over Jake. _

_Touché, kid. We taught you well. _Quil gave a mental high-five to Embry. Leah's vision turned red and I could literally hear her angry bark from all the way across the clearing. Oops.

_I am __**not**__ pining. You're gonna pay later for that, Quily-kins. _

"Then we will leave." A silky voice startled me. Not being able to see myself, I flipped through Embry's mind and watched as the dark-haired vampire signaled the rest of the Volturi guard to follow him. He paused for a second and spoke aloud so even all of us stowaways could hear. "Hopefully we'll be on better terms the next time we meet."

My sister snorted loudly at this and called him a good for nothing douche bag. As soon as they were out of sight, she phased behind a tree and headed toward Jake. All that was left of her presence was the fading shimmery noise that came whenever we changed forms.

_So, need any more comebacks while the witch is gone?_ Embry offered. _I made up some the other day during patrol with Jake…_

_What?_ Quil butted in._ Chasing the wildlife too good for you now? _

_Aww man, I hate the taste of rabbit._

_That's 'cause it's the only thing you can manage to catch._

Embry started cursing and spurting out insults right and left at Quil.

I wondered if I should take notes.

_C'mon you morons. Late lunch at Emily's—Sam's treat. _Jake phased, interrupting the intelligent conversation currently going on.

_Uhh Jake, Emily's gonna not want to cook for us. _

_Way to state the obvious, Quil._

_Then who's gonna make the food? _

_We volunteered you both to go to the store. _Leah joined the conversation, giving us a brief glimpse at what she and Jacob had been talking about with the Cullens. The Volturi seemed to be keeping their word so far. Both Alice and Edward were monitoring them.

_With what money? _Embry protested loudly, nearly blowing up my mind.

_Don't be dramatic, Seth. Yours Embry, y'know? With that bet you won last night about me and Nahuel. _

_Damn. Jake, do you have to tell her everything?_

_I really don't have a choice. _Jake answered dryly. He gave us the plan. Embry and Quil would go stack up at the store while him and Leah would make a quick stop to get Nessie. Apparently, I wasn't important enough to get anything.

_I thought you would want to check up on Tala. _He answered me, as if I should've already known the answer. I bet he was surprised that I hadn't mentioned her yet. Yeah, I wasn't that strong. The rest of the pack had to picture her with me throughout the whole meeting all up until the end when Embry threatened he would nail me if I thought about her perfect amber eyes one more time. I think he was being defensive considering she's kinda his sister and all. But that's just my humble opinion on things.

_Shut up._ Yep, definitely defensive.

_Shutting. _

_I'm actually surprised it wasn't any worse_, Leah thought, always wanting to have the last say. _Even Embry has a better imagination---I haven't heard one dirty thought or pornographic movie of you two yet. _

_He sounds more like an old granny than a love-struck werewolf…he needs to up his wooing attempts._

_Yeah, remember Paul? He especially was bad. And Jared, don't even get me started. If I saw one more thing about what he and Kim did, I think I'll---_

_No, he reminds me of Paul with that girl, remember? _

_Embry, _my sister thought quickly,_ shut up if you know what's good for you. _It was already too late---I began to get flashes of younger Paul holding hands with a red curly-headed girl with tan skin. They were, I suppose, a cute couple. They both looked really happy. Then, Leah, deciding it was already too late, added in some of her own memories. Suddenly Paul was larger, and more like he was today. He was arguing with the girl---tears were running down her cheeks. Next, there they were again, only a depressed Paul was watching her load a truck as she left.

_Why haven't I heard or seen this before? _I thought frantically, re-running everything in my head. Paul had never been that sensitive or sentimental, even after Rachel.

_Err, he doesn't like to talk about it---or think about it. She was his best friend before all this. _

_What happened?_

_Us, _Leah thought with a hint of remorse. She felt like she could relate. _We love to break more than make. She's at college now in Seattle---I think she's majoring in communication. _

_How ironic. _

_Quit scaring the kid. It's not like that. They were friends, tried love, didn't work out. Paul becoming a werewolf was bad timing. Anyway, Sam has a theory about Tala and Seth. _

_Of course Sam has a theory. He has to have a theory on everything, _my sister mimicked, trying not to think about imprinting. We all winced; none of us really knew what to say to that.

_Look, we already know that when we imprint, we'll be whatever for our other half. Like Quil and I---we're big brothers for Claire and Nessie. Sam just thinks that right now, Tala is needing a very good friend, not a mate. And Seth is reacting to that so he can fit her...uhh needs. _

_We've kissed though_, I decided to put my two cents in. _I think that's past the "friend" stage, don't you?_

_Not lately. Maybe you're right---you both may have started out like that, but now I think you're back to being friends. _Embry seemed relieved. Now he didn't have to, I quote, "kick my butt anymore than I already deserved."

_Sethie's been demoted, _Quil obnoxiously chanted the mantra in all of our heads.

_Argg. _Jake had pity on me, and I finally got the green to leave my station. Without a moment's hesitation, I began running towards Sam's house. Sam had gotten her early this morning after a bout of "the flu" and a lot of persuasion and yelling. We all knew what that meant. I was doomed. So much for my plan. If she ended up imprinting on me, (which now I doubted thanks to Sam's observation), she for sure wouldn't talk to me. Tal hates to be forced to do anything.

_She wouldn't even think about that._ Leah disagreed._ She'll be banging herself on the head for idiocy, then freaking out 'cause she's a furry wolf. _

It was widely known that wolves were not animals that Tala was known to be keen on.

_And don't even get me started on the curse_, my sister blurted into my not-so-personal thoughts. The other day, she had tried to be gentle (something none of us thought her nature allowed) while telling me that I might not have kids. That really didn't go over so well. We had a difference of opinions when it came to genetic dead-ends and females. However, now who knows? Tala might _never _love me as a partner---only as a friend.

_Take some flowers,_ Embry told me, ignoring my thoughts. _Maybe she won't go wolf on you right when you get in the door. She's gonna be pissed that she missed the meeting. Sam told Jake---_

_I'm right here. _

_Right…well wasn't she wanting to go or something?_

Jake ended up giving me a flash of his conversation with the other Alpha, just to be sure Embry didn't get any of the details mixed up. Not that it mattered---we all would know if he was lying or not.

**Cons of Being a Werewolf** by Seth Clearwater & Co:  
-easy to lose your mind  
-no privacy  
-people think you are either a drug-dealer or take steroids  
-never can have a _normal_ conversation with a _normal_ human-being  
-you learn things that you didn't even **want** to know about  
-the sexual fantasies of Paul (at least that's gone now…)  
-when your mom asks you how your day was, you can't just use the excuse, "fine." Ever again…now it's about how you were killing off parasites or bonding with them  
-you're a mystical creature that shouldn't even exist  
-you kind of have to know how to keep a secret  
-alien spaceships might at any time whisk you away 'cause of your "special-ness"  
-_freaky crap in blood, _Jacob added, _and messed up genes_  
-_imprinting_, Leah thought sourly  
-_oh my turn,_ I could hear Quil's mind buzzing away, _you will never be cold again  
_-_how is that a con? _Embry exclaimed, _being like this can ruin your family _

Did I mention that you would never have privacy?

By the time I finished, I was already racing down Sam and Emily's street with wildflowers in my mouth. Who cares if someone saw me? I would just be mistaken as a Golden Retriever or something---maybe a Lab if they were feeling creative. It didn't matter; I could already smell Tala's scent beckoning me towards to the homey cottage. It was a mixture of honeysuckles and vanilla, I suppose that would've been a turn on if there was one. It didn't matter---I just hoped she was ok. Hopefully she would sleep off everything and have another day to be a human. I had already planned out the night. I would take her down to that small carnival in Port Angeles, and we'd be able to go on the Ferris wheel. That would be awesome---I've wanted to go on one of those things since I was twelve.

I quickly phased behind some bushes and pulled on the pair of jeans that I had tied around my ankle like a pro. Right when I was about the barge in, Sam threw open the door and flew right into me.

Man, that hurt. I was now awkwardly sprawled on his lawn five feet away from the entry. Rubbing my head, I heard Sam mutter a quick apology before darting into the trees. A hand hoisted me up, and Jared watched as I straightened up in the most non-girly way as possible.

"Emily's at the hospital," he said, noticing my confusion. Sam usually was calm---I think that was the _only_ time I'd ever seen him frazzled. My eyebrows furrowed.

"Did Tala go with her then?"

Jared must've not even thought about that 'cause he suddenly froze. "Oh shit."

I flung myself toward the house and skidded into the living room. I could feel the panic gnawing at my stomach. No Tala---only some loose rope and tape on the floor. _Please, please be here._ I silently chanted as I headed toward the guest room where her scent was strongest. I swung open the innocent looking door and looked upon an empty space. The bed sheets were pulled back and I could tell that she paced towards the window at some point, but didn't go out. A glass of water stood harmlessly on the bedside table, still untouched. I turned around and went back into the living room.

"She's not there," Jared said dully, staring at the tape. He waved a cell phone at me. "Nick says she bailed right as Emily went into labor."

His words wouldn't process through my brain. "House. Her house. She's gotta be there," I managed to spit out---my body was shaking heavily now. Usually I was pretty good at the whole "control" thing, but I couldn't even think right now. She had to be safe. Tal was stubborn, but she wasn't stupid. She probably felt trapped here and wanted to go back to her home.

That _had_ to be the answer. The only plausible explanation for things.

"He's so dead," Jared mumbled to himself, before pivoting his gaze on me. "Look kid, she's probably fine. Don't worry about it. We'll just go check---"

I cut him off with a glare. I knew she wasn't going to be there. Suddenly, I felt like my brain was going to explode---it was like someone was roasting my insides. I let out a shout of pain, eyes widening. What. The. Hell. Jared glanced at me strangely. I tried to ride it out. What was happening to me? Growing pains? I gritted my teeth until it was over.

"'Kay then," Jared amended, drawing back hastily. "_I'll_ go search her house. You go find Jake." And with that, the other Beta took a hold of my arm and hoisted me out of the place. I let out a panicked breath, trying to calm myself before I went and killed the eardrums of my pack mates.

Then it hit me.

It was because of _her _that I had been feeling uneasy all day. Everything began clicking into place, and I groaned.

On the bright side, at least I wasn't being paranoid earlier.

* * *

_Jake! Jake! She's gone. She's gone. _I yelled in my thoughts, hoping he was in his wolf form.

_What are you talking about, Seth?_ I launched into a full description of what had just happened. All in less than three seconds. I daresay that's a record. Too bad Quil's the scorekeeper and was currently outta commission due to food-shopping for a feast that wasn't going to happen. Of course.

_You're starting to sound like her, _Jake noted before catching up with me.

_Not. The. Point. We need to follow the trail. We have to find her. She can't be too far off…_

_Look, _Jacob reasoned, _worst comes to worst, she phased and ran off. _

_But we would be able to hear her, wouldn't we?_

Jake's mind was silent for a second before he spoke again. _She'd be in Sam's pack. All newbies are. That's the rule we all agreed on after the battle last year. Sam gets to train all the new werewolves while I stay with what I have. I already stole Embry and Quil from him, not to mention---_

_You knew about this the whole time and you didn't say anything?_

_It didn't actually cross my mind till now,_ Jake admitted. _Obviously. _

_Jake!_

_Wait, got the trail. It's leading away from the house. It's mixed with car fumes though. D'you think…_

_She could've been going to a hospital? _I thought uneasily. _The clinic…she wouldn't go to Carlisle. _

_Seth…it's not heading towards there. It looks like it's leading towards Seattle. _He began thinking of all the insane reasons why Tal would even think about going there, and then out of nowhere, the russet wolf in front of me slammed to a stop. We were almost near the meeting spot from earlier. I glanced up the deserted road and began shaking.

_Oh hell. _Jacob whined, his tail drooping. His dark eyes contemplated the area in silence, not missing a single inch of land. I could only hear fragments of his thoughts now…I didn't feel like keeping up. When we start thinking like we do in our usual form, it takes energy to try and understand if you're the second-party. He advanced to the clearing, and put his nose to the ground. I did the same and my world ended right then and there. The fierce wind from an hour ago had died down, and now it was clear where Tala had been. It was like she was right there---that's how easily I found her scent. So strong.

_She's here somewhere. _Jake tried reassuring me. _We'll find her. I promise. _

_She's an idiot. _I grimly thought. _This is something she would do though. _Then like a bomb, it hit me. _Tala was the one I felt earlier. I knew she was here---I just wasn't thinking properly. She was watching me._

_Making sure you didn't get yourself killed, probably. _Jake laughed bitterly. _Sounds like Bella. _

_She's not Bella_," I shot back before I even understood what I was saying. _She's Tala. The most beautiful girl in the world, the girl I love with my whole heart. Even if it may be as a friend. And the girl that's now lost because of me. I'm the _worst_ imprint. I can't protect her from anything._

_Seth---what side can you smell her on? _Jacob cut off my mind rant. My heart stopped---she was on the other side, the side where the vampires exited to hunt. To hunt…Jacob began swearing and he darted into the trees. I caught up with him and we followed the trail until we came back onto the road.

I died a little on the inside.

There was her SUV, smashed up and still smoking. Glass was shattered on the sandy floor and the trees near it were bent, like someone had slammed into them.

_What the hell? _Leah's voice came into my head as she saw what we were seeing. I could feel her panic as she surveyed the damage with us. Before I knew it, I was already at the wreckage. Tala couldn't…blood covered the seat---I could smell the rusty saltiness of it as it wafted in the air.

_Huh?_ Jacob stepped around a broken GPS system. I put my two paws onto what was left of the car door and looked inside.

Nobody was there.

_Ssssss. _I jolted until I noticed that it was only the air bag deflating. If she wasn't here, where was she? She could've gotten away…

_Man, you need to see this. _Jake's tone was morose as he sat near the hood. Except there was no hood. It was a dark hole that was littered with the remnants of broken mechanism. I gingerly stepped over the window pieces and joined him. There was no way Tala would've survived something like this. My heart broke into two. She couldn't…she can't…

_Vampires. _He concluded, realizing that I wasn't able to think properly. _They're the only thing I can think of that could cause this kind of damage. There's nothing else here that she could've run into. _

_Oh my gosh! _Leah started cracking up hysterically. I wanted to punch her when she thought the next few words. _That bitch! Dang that girl is brave. _When nobody got it, and I was on the verge of wanting to rip out her throat, Leah finally explained herself. _She tried running them over. Tala tried running those bloodsuckers over. _

_Leah_, Jacob warned her, but she didn't stop there. _Seth, she can't be dead---she was nearly about to phase when we left her this morning. You would've survived the impact, I would've survived the impact---the air bag did its job. We just have to find out where she flew to. _

_I think I can figure that out_, I thought as I walked over to the flattened out trees. They seriously looked like pancakes. My nose caught a collusion of scents in the air and I burst through a small clearing, Jacob right on my tail. The grass was almost unrecognizable, drenched with blood---her blood---and now turning brown. Another tree had been dented, and the smell of leech and something even sweeter filled the air.

I went comatose.

_Got Bella and the bloodsucker, they're coming your way. _Leah's voice rang in my head. I didn't care, nothing mattered anymore. The leeches (yes, leeches) had gotten her.

She was gone.

_Seth, dude, I'm so sorry. _Jake thought, wanting to console me--- however, his mind was in total disarray. He was ashamed this had happened to one of his pack. Now he was berating himself as an Alpha.

A gasp came from my right as Bella and Edward zipped up to us. Edward's face was twisted with anger while Bella went around the area, taking note of what had happened.

"It's an hour fresh," she finally said. "They can't be that far off. We can still catch them." Jacob phased beside me, but I didn't have the energy to move. I might never see her again. All the times I could have said something, or could have been with her were wasted.

I felt like dying.

Visions of her swirled in my mind, her laughing, her smiling, then her terror when she thought I was gonna hurt her. I had blown it so bad; my stupidity there had possibly gotten her killed. She might have not done this if I hadn't scared her, we would have been happy, and maybe in love…like the others.

"…Leah just came right as Alice realized she couldn't see them…and the girl wasn't protected by my Bella, Jane would have…"

All. My. Fault. The smaller female, the one Jake called the devil-in-disguise, could inflict pain. Physical pain. Tala…

"Seth, snap out of it." Jacob took my muzzle and shook it---almost as if he knew I was having suicidal thoughts. Oh right, Edward. Bella came up and gave me a small reassuring pat. I crinkled my nose at her sweet icy smell. Usually, I was immune to it 'cause I spent so much time at their house.

"She phased," Edward told us both. "There was a dog here before you both came. And it was female." It caught me off guard. I never knew there was a difference between the way Leah and I smelled. But it sort of made sense…Bella punched him in the arm. "Wolf, not dog, Edward."

Chagrined, he tried to look apologetic. "Alec was definitely here, he used his power." Bella's eyes were full of panic as she took in this observation. Jake noticed.

"Hold up. What was the leech's power?"

"He's an anesthetic, more deadly than even Jane. Alec makes you feel nothing, absolutely nothing. The Volturi usually use him when they are feeling particularly merciful. The person won't feel anything when they are being executed. "

"Wait, what exactly does he do?" Jacob asked, running a hand through his short hair. Bella replied this time, her voice shaky, but other than that, bare of any emotion.

"Cuts off your senses. You can't feel pain when you aren't able to see, smell, or hear. You're in total blackness."

"In other words, complete sensory deprivation," Edward ended. "I don't know how long it lasts, maybe forever. It might never wear off. I don't think anyone's been spared after Alec's intervention."

I started quivering with anger, mind going off like fireworks. I _killed_ my imprint. I should have been there, she shouldn't have phased into something like that. _I bet Taha Aki never did something like this_, I thought glumly, _he never destroyed his soulmate. _

_What?! _Embry's thoughts collided with mine. He began shifting through everything in my head, watching Jake and I find the car, hearing Bella and Edward…

_Don't make me think it again_. I yelped, wanting to go die in a hole. It was official.

_We're gonna go search for her, kid._ Jake thought. He must have phased back. It didn't matter. The parasites had gotten her, she died because of me. At the hands of vampires. _Stop it, Seth. Chill or I won't let you come. I'll make you stay with Quil and play dress-up with Claire. _

I stopped. Where did they go? Where was she?

_The path looks like it leads to Seattle---the bloodsuckers probably needed to fill up for their trip back to Leechtown. _Jacob answered me.

_I'm going. _Embry informed the Alpha, leaving no room for questions. He had left Quil babysitting Claire after the grocery trip. _Her dad would shoot me on spot if she---_

_You're worried about her dad! _

_Seth­. _My sister warned me. _Close your damn trap or he'll put it as an order for you to stay. _

_I'm not like Sam, Leah. _Jake told her, clearly annoyed. _He's going. _

* * *

The sky was darkening when we arrived. The perfect time to kill humans. We would have gotten here even later if we didn't cut through the Olympic National Park.

I guess being a werewolf had a pro after all. 'Cause as of right now, it sure as hell didn't look like it did. I wondered what life would be like if I wasn't a two hundred pound ball of fur. I would be a normal guy with normal friends having crushes on normal girls. Maybe even falling in love with a couple of them. Would I have met Tal? Possibly. She was the type though that we usually avoided---loud and way too opinionated. Too hard of a catch. But that's what made her _her_.

Ok, so two pro's.

_There's three different trails,_ Jake thought, aggravated. He had hoped this would be nice and quick, we would find her and go. A silver Volvo pulled up and Bella and Edward got out. They had volunteered themselves to go look with us.

Even Leah had been touched.

_Not_, she snapped right back. _You need to get your hearing checked. _If I was human right now, I would've rolled my eyes. She only acted like a bitch (according to the rest of the pack) when she had an audience. At home, she could actually be somewhat decent. Like a normal older sister.

_Lies, _she told me.

_Quit eavesdropping._

_Can't help it. You're so miserably interesting. _

_Both of you, shut it. _Jacob thought, trying to concentrate on a plan.

_Yes o' high and mighty Alpha. _

_Ugh, phase. Or people are going to think there's killer bears in the area._

_Always a creative one, _Leah commented before shifting back and pulling on a sundress. We all followed her example. Except without the dress part.

"Demetri obviously went that way," Bella pointed to a section of the city. "And the other two went downtown." Vampires smelled the same to me, so I shrugged, deciding to trust Bella on this one. Edward seemed amused.

Jacob noticed this and started to bark orders, wanting to control the situation. Although he repeatedly said that he didn't want to be an Alpha, you could totally tell he was born for it. Or at least he put on a good show. "Embry, Seth, you'll find Demetri. Don't do anything unless you find her. We'll follow this Alec guy and I guess Bella and _Edward_ will follow the witch."

Ok, we can deal with one leech. No problem. Each group gets one. If there were two, however, we all knew we would be toast. This was the Volturi guard we were talking about, not the nicest folks in the world. And they had superpowers. If Embry and I met up with a pair of them, I didn't even want to think what would happen.

"Not even if he's sucking somebody's blood out?" My partner-in-crime asked defensively.

Edward winced---a motion that was uncommon for him. "If he's hurting them, delay him. But if you just see him stalking---well, we don't want another uprising." It didn't matter; Embry and I would kill him if that's what it took to stop him from preying off innocent people. We were protectors, and it was kinda our job.

"Plan 3463, guys," Jacob said nodding. One day, when we were _really _bored on patrol, we created names for all our of attack routes. Then, because they were so stupid and unofficial sounding, we converted them into numbers. Yeah…we put good use to our time. At least it impressed Sam's pack---a fact that still makes us puff our chests in pride. Technically, this was called Plan FIND, but nobody needed to know that. Well, 'sides Edward. Now he knew about it. _You're welcome for that. _Edward held in a smile and turned to his mate.

Mate.

Now that I thought about it, Tala had to be ok. I mean, wouldn't I have felt it if she weren't? I didn't know---nobody in the pack had imprinted on another werewolf. We could have this really cool connection deal that had never been heard of or something like that. I remembered the pain that I had with Jared. That wasn't growing pains….it was her. Jane had tortured her. My hope burst like a balloon. It could have been when she phased, but I highly doubted it. I should have been there when that happened---she's probably worried or scared. I should have…

"Seth, she doesn't feel anything," Edward murmured to me. Right, that was again, _my _fault. Fate shouldn't have dealt me an imprint. I didn't deserve her. So far, I was the worst wooer or whatever. I couldn't even get a relationship.

Edward let out an exasperated sigh. "You both love each other, but your bond is different than the others. It'll end up the same way---eventually. Right now though, you need to be a friend. Not a lover. So quit beating yourself up."

Usually, I would never ask Edward for love advice considering he didn't find Bella for nearly a century and 'cause of Tanya, but he _did _read minds. Jasper on the other hand…

"Jasper concurs, now here's a cell phone. Call us if you find her," Edward pushed a small silver device into my fingers. Embry wrinkled his nose but didn't say anything. Jacob was looking disgustingly at a similar looking one that lay in his hand. It was apparent that nobody really liked the arrangement. Bella even went further, going into the car and coming out with shoes and shirts.

"I'm not taking your shit," Leah said, backing up. "I don't care if I look like some hobo." I didn't have the spirit to remind her what mom always told us. I'm sure she had heard it all before.

Jacob narrowed his dark eyes. "Are you kidding me?"

"You can't go looking like that," Bella pointed to his bare feet and chest, "in polite society. Even if it _is _night and most everyone will be drunk. It's suspicious."

He grimaced, and motioned us to get the stuff. Smiling evilly, Bella handed me a navy t-shirt with some sneakers. Great, next she was gonna tell me how they matched my eyes or some weird crap like that.

I was right.

After a lot of moaning and groaning about irrelevant things to our mission, we split up.

* * *

Embry and I were tense as we walked through the crowded streets of Seattle. It wasn't odd that Jake matched us together, although both Leah and he denied it, they kind of had this tension going on with each other. Creepy, considering he already had an imprint, but it sort of made sense in a really twisted way. If he broke her heart though, I would kill him. Leah had already had a stake go through hers thanks to Sam.

"Maybe you'll find your imprint here," I said glumly. Embry didn't respond. I turned my head and watched him eye a couple of girls going into a sports bar. I elbowed him in the stomach, trying to get his attention.

"What the---?" He said surprised.

"Focus!" I was such a hypocrite. All I could think of was her. We had to find her. Embry and I. Who cared 'bout stupid Demetri?

"Jeez, she's still alive. Don't poke me, dude," he complained, rubbing the sore spot. "And they call me the sad one."

"We don't know that for a fact," I said, rounding on him. Embry took me by my shoulder and looked me in the eyes.

"One, we all would have felt it. You most of all. It's in the legends. Two, they got Dopey to use his powers 'cause she was a threat. Three, they aren't going to kill her until they have some of us. They _want _us to follow her."

"Why?"

Embry shook his head as if I was stupid, which I guess I pretty much was at that point. "Haven't you ever read books 'bout war? Or watched those turtle ninjas or power rangers on T.V?" It was then when I began questioning Embry's mind. I shook my head.

"Man, your generation's messed up."

"We were born in the _same _generation, Em." He blew it off like that crucial fact didn't matter.

"They even _told _us why they're doing this. Y'know, last year? Other than messing with the Cullens to get the upper hand, they want us to be their guard dogs. Or maybe to experiment with. I don't know nor care. Just we'll get her, okay? Don't worry."

Embry may be a sucky pack mate sometimes, but he was a pretty good psychologist. At least I think that's what he'd be. Whatever, he got me out of the dumps. We had a fighting chance now---my sense of hope had been restored. Before, I was acting like Leah. _Leah_. That fact alone killed me. Oh well, it proved one thing.

I needed to get out of the house more often.

The area got even more congested as we followed the vampire scent. Now, the people seemed to be younger, more alive. College students.

"Crap," Embry said under his breath. Demetri had gone into this shady looking club. Which meant we would have too as well. He looked around and strode up to a couple of cute girls standing in line. Cute, not beautiful. Not Tala. I tagged along, wondering what he was gonna do.

"Hello ladies," he said, giving them a huge smile. They looked on the verge of fainting. I forgot that that happened a lot when we went out. Usually, I didn't leave La Push to flirt with some random girls at a night club. But hey, that's just me.

"Hi there stranger," a blonde purred. Who even said that nowadays? Apparently she did. "You going in?"

"Yep," Embry replied, popping the 'p.' "Mind if we join you?" A brunette with a bad perm scanned me and giggled. "Sure, no problem."

Oh god.

It wasn't long till we got to the front. Embry had already charmed the little group and more---they were at the mercy of his fingertips. I wasn't part of it. I only had eyes for Tala, and well. They _weren't _her.

The bouncer took one long look at us and allowed us in. I smirked. We were bigger and a hella lot scarier than he was. If he carded us, I would've been shocked. Ah, the joys of being 16 and free. Embry said a few good-byes, telling them that he would meet them inside. An outright lie if I ever saw one.

"What was the point of that?" I asked, gesturing to the snickering girls who were still producing some id. "We could have just gone right in."

"Yeah, and how shifty would that have been?" He replied. I raised a brow. He pointedly ignored me. "Now, we blend. Search for the leech and meet me back here in five."

After sliding between tons of drunk, dancing couples and being asked out by quite a few, it was obvious Demetri had escaped, probably with a morsel by his side. We failed at our job. The trail caught up again at a side door and we followed the path till we got to an apartment duplex that was blaring with music.

"Party," Embry murmured to me. "Probably kids from Seattle University." This Demetri guy certainly knew how to hunt. Right when I got up to the door, I smelled a heavenly aroma of honeysuckles and vanilla.

She was here. Somewhere. All my previous panic came back to me. Was she hurt? Did she just come through with Demetri and left? Would I even find her?

Embry paused for a slight second and nodded to himself. It was then when I realized that we both were attached to her somehow. Imprint and half-brother. The fact had never occurred to me.

"Split?" I asked.

"Split."

With that, I dodged past throngs of people, trying to find the love of my life. When I reached what might have once been a snack table, I jarred to a halt and sniffed the air again. I froze. We were wrong…there wasn't one leech here.

There were two.

And that meant that we were officially screwed.

* * *

**I swear, these things keep getting longer and longer. You guys are killing me! LoL. Oh, as usual, all mistakes are my own. Personally, this isn't my **_**favorite **_**chapter…I still think I prefer to write Tala's P.O.V. Because when angered, she's hilarious fun. But Seth's cool too, don't get me wrong. He's just so **_**optimistic—**_**usually. So, I kind of made him worry a bit in this chapter…sorry Seth :D You're too happy for your own good, so I had to make you tense for the first time in your life. Sorry if it might be a little OOC on his part, seriously, I tried. Hard. And for all of you guys who are like wth, we want some love (not friendship) happening b/w Tala and Seth---no worries, I myself want to do a few headrams. It'll happen, I swear :D It's just everyone's "observations" though it does speak a half-truth.**

**Let me know what you think and drop a review…pretty please? **

**Oh, and if you haven't had the chance, I have a Kim/Jared fanfic in my archives. Something I mixed up one day. Check it out :D It's still in the makings…**

**And Happy Mother's Day :D Plenty of Seth hugs for all of you. **


	25. I Meet My Jiminy Cricket

**Ahh 600+ reviews? You guys are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. **

**Ok, let's see….I wrote this in my very dark room thanks to a lovely power outage we had for two days. I am so happy that I'd charged my laptop. We just got hit with a huge storm (and tornado in some areas) and have been getting tons of rain and lighting. I think I have a new understanding of what life must be like in Forks. Maybe. Sorry this is late---I've had exams, my birthday was last Sunday, and well, summer in general is just a distraction. This starts out in Seth's POV, but ends with Tala. Don't forget to drop me a review :D**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. Or the lovely song of "I've Been Working on the Railroad."**

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Five:

* * *

"_Split?" I asked. _

"_Split." _

_With that, I dodged past throngs of people, trying to find the love of my life. When I reached the snack table, I jarred to a halt and sniffed the air again. I froze. We were wrong…there wasn't one leech here. _

_There were two. _

_And that meant that we were officially screwed. _

* * *

**Seth's P.O.V:**

I couldn't find Embry.

I even tried tracking his scent (which by the way is _not _the most pleasant thing in the world) and had come up empty-handed. He wouldn't have deserted me---especially when he smelled the vampires. So where was he?

Where were any of them?

"Watch it!" A brunette snapped as I shoved past her.I barely gave her a glance---I was too busy going through the maze of rooms in my head. How could I miss my gigantic pack mate, my imprint, and a couple of leeches? I _had_ to be blind.

Studying the ceiling, I tried to drown out the noise. Bathroom? Check. Kitchen? Check. The only person there was this random girl moaning for llamas and margaritas. I had skipped the bedrooms altogether 'cause they reeked of beer and sex, not bloodsucking mosquitoes. And the hallway was full of couples making out, which left the living room where I currently was in.

Did I find anyone?

No.

Another partier flew into me--a recreation that seemed to be becoming quite popular. I pushed them away, still unsure of what to do next. 'Kay, so they obviously weren't here. My stomach dropped. If anything had happened…

_Thump. _

I looked up. And it clicked.

This was an _apartment_ building, which meant there was more than this one floor. Jeez, I was losing it. If Leah was here, she'd be laughing at me right about now. _Pull it together, man. _I'd done this a billion of times before, what made this time so different?

I swallowed hard. This time, I had more to lose.

* * *

It didn't take me that long to find the fire escape. Yeah, I could've just used the elevator inside the building. But what was the fun in that? Way too civilized. Anyway, this way was sneakier _and_ faster.

My plan totally backfired when the metal groaned under my weight. I really needed to lay off Emily's burritos. I shook my head and gingerly started walking up the staircase to the next floor. Embry would be up here, and everything would be fine. Well, as fine as it was going to get until we could regroup and figure out a plan to surround the leeches.

I forgot to knock on wood.

"Well, look who came to join the party," a mocking voice said from above me. The hairs on my back rose as a dark-haired vampire chuckled and swung down from the platform above. I could swear on Paul's porn collection that he wasn't there before.

"And so young," He commented, and in a blink this Demetriguy was right in my face. Both of our noses wrinkled in unison at each other's smell. I don't know what his problem was, 'cause he seriously _needed _to get a taste of his own medicine. The bloodsucker stunk of bleach and sickly sweetness.

"Where is she?" I blurted out. He inspected his nails for non-existent dirt. "Oh, _her_. The she-dog."

Without a second thought, I punched him. I would've completely nailed that leech too if he didn't move at the last second. I felt a cold hand grab my neck. Great…I think I fail in the whole plan-making business.

"I could get rid of you right now, pup," he threatened, his bell-like voice not giving him any props for evilness. "But my master has different plans for you." And with no warning whatsoever, he threw me into the brick exterior.

And they say that these "Volturi" guards are _civilized_. Overstatement of the year.

The thick layer between me and the inside of the building quickly fell through, and I found myself sprawled between a hulking gray wolf and Dopey.

When I set out to find Embry, I didn't mean to find him by _this_ method. 'Course, this apparently seemed to be my signature move whenever we were vampire-hunting. When my pack was feeling generous, they always tried to use me as bait. According to Leah, I looked the most "vulnerable," or in other words, easy to pick off.

Stupid Jake. One bad prank and you're the stupid rag doll for the rest of your werewolf career.

I phased, getting an instant re-run of Embry's memories. He apparently thought he had been rescuing me when really he was falling into the bloodsuckers' trap. Who knew they were great mimickers?

_Seth! Find her while I distract them. We'll make a run for it._

_And avoid both of them? Yeah right. 'Coz we aren't gonna make it out of here without some serious damage. My head already feels like it's gonna explode. _

I just got rammed into a building---I don't recommend it.

_No kidding. _Embry growled as I re-aligned myself, searching the room for my imprint. She had to be close 'cause there was this strong aroma of honeysuckles and vanilla.

"Alec was saving himself for the two of you," Demetri snickered. "Just letting one of you have it would be unfair."

_What the hell? _Embry thought while trying to come up with a better plan. _And they say that __**we** __have problems? _

_I can't find her. _

Dopey sneered, and took a step sideways---almost as if he knew what I was thinking. There, in the corner, was a ball of multi-colored fur.

I saw red.

Targeting the nearest leech, I pounced. Their hard, granite skin broke under my razor teeth. I spit out chunks of white stone, getting closer and close to tearing out the throat. The last time I had done this one-on-one was when I had been fighting with Edward. Jacob had been so jealous that he missed it. Instead of glory, he got sympathy due to Leah's stupidity. She still felt bad for that.

All of this flashed through my mind in less than five seconds as I continued to break down the bloodsucker. Embry had taken on the other one as soon as I attacked.

_Watch out!_

Something crushed my arm as it pushed me off. I didn't know who it was, though my bets are on Demetri. Everything was happening too fast—a blur of colors. I growled, shoving my way back to where the fight was.

They hurt Tala. They _were_ going to die.

"Not on my watch, dog," a silky voice hissed. They took hold of my jaw, breaking it so I would stare directly into their burgundy eyes. I was already in enough pain as it was, and reasoned a little more wasn't going to do anything. I lunged and bit off their nose.

_That _was for throwing me into a brick wall.

I heard a yelp, and saw Embry get tackled by Dopey. I moved in to help him, but Demetri dragged me back by my haunches. Then, he picked me up and crushed my stomach. I felt like I was going to pass out.

_C'mon magic healing genes. Work! _

From the corner of my eye, I saw Tala twitch. The leech took my distraction as a personal insult and flung me into an iron cast bed. My vision began to flicker. I watched him saunter over to his nearly destroyed cohort, and repeat the same process with Embry.

"Now," he commanded Dopey. The smaller vampire, who looked like a breakable doll if you ask me, scowled and fixed his beady eyes on us.

_It was nice knowing you_, Embry murmured in my mind as the inevitable seeped toward us in a slow moving mist. It smelled almost worse than the vampires---like my mom's cold medicine. Out of the blue, I began wishing that those stories about the big, bad wolf and the three little pigs were true. 'Cause then I'd be able to blow the stupid stuff away.

The door exploded right as the mist seemed to hit a barrier.

Bella.

She tried making a fighting pose (imagine a penguin ready to do kung-fu) at the Volturi, but she was distracted---her gaze kept drifting to the two of us. However, much to their disappointment, Edward was beside her in a flash---his face murderous.

They _really_ needed to learn how to monitor their thoughts better.

I wasn't quite sure what happened next, 'cause suddenly there was a ton of movement, and then something that sounded like a bomb went off, nearly splitting my eardrums.

As the air cleared, I realized the floor now had a mammoth-sized hole in it. And I'm almost a hundred percent positive it was smoking. Then again, it could be just me. I _was_ kind of dizzy.

_Damn, _Embry yelped.

Maybe not.

Suddenly, there was a deafening silence from the party below.

Then the screaming began.

* * *

**Tala's P.O.V:**

_I was twelve. _

_My dad and I were sitting in the living room playing the board game, "Clue," while guzzling down lemonade like it was the elixir of life. _

"_I suspect Miss Scarlett in the ballroom with the knife," I challenged, glowering at him as if he dared deny me. Dad could never lie. I was pretty confident that I was right. He huffed---his forehead already sheen with sweat from the summer heat. _

"_Fine," he grumbled, showing me one of his cards. I smirked, crossing off the box for "ballroom" on the sheet that was provided for us. My confidence was all show. I pretended like I was a pro, but he beat me in the end_ every _time. I never understood why. I always had all the clues._

_It was just putting them together that confused me. _

_I studied the sheet, biting my pencil. I could guess some more to be_ absolutely _sure, but that was a waste of time. Risks were part of the game._

"_I know you know, Pititchu," he said, watching my mind whirl away. "Need help?"_

_I immediately told him off. That would be cheating. Anyway, I didn't want help. I could figure this out on my own. Though, we both knew I couldn't. I wasn't able to connect the dots, even if everything I needed was in front of me. _

_Dad won that day. _

_

* * *

_

My first few thoughts weren't who am I? Or what am I? No, it wasn't really some random philosophical question like that. Instead, it more went along the lines of "_Who turned out the friggin' lights?!"_

I was pissed.

What did those freaking leeches do to me? I couldn't for the love of all that's holy honestly remember what had happened after Demetri tried to carry me. And that seriously irked me. There was a lot of pain, and then some weird smell. That's all I can dig up. Everything else is gone, _hasta la vista, baby._ Fuming, I tried opening my eyes so I could wake up and deck the bloodsuckers.

_Open_, I told my eyelids_. _Nothing. Christ, what the hell was wrong with me? Was I in a coma or something? _All I have to do is wake up, scream at the vampires, and then all will be well with the world,_ I reassured myself, trying to quench the panic.

_Move,_ I tried, willing my arms to come back to life. Surprise, nothing happened. I thought again with a little more willpower only to get the same result. The darkness that clouded my vision suddenly became all the more sinister. I was trapped. It was as if someone was enclosing me in my own body.

And I was unable to escape.

Was I dead?

The question scared the hell out of me. I mean, of course I'd thought of death before. Who hasn't? I just didn't really consider it a priority in my life. Live at your fullest---that was my motto. Death was death. I mean, one minute you're breathing air and the next you just don't _exist _anymore. But if I was dead, that would mean I'd be somewhere else. Right? I'd never really been a devout religious person, but I _did _believe in heaven, or some sort of afterlife. Was this it? Was this freaking darkness my new purgatory? I mean, I knew I wasn't like a Stepford wife or anything, but I wasn't _too _horrible. I hadn't committed _that_ many sins.

It was official. I couldn't feel, see, move, hear, or anything that had to do with senses. Nope, I was stuck in my head---something that even _I _didn't want to experience.

If this was death, it sucked.

-.-.-.-.-

_I've been workin' on the railroad  
All the live long day.  
I've been workin' on the railroad  
Just to pass the time away._

Let me tell you---calming down isn't easy when you can't _do _anything. The only sign of life in me was the tenor of my thoughts. That's it. I suppose I'm not dead. Fate wouldn't have let me off that easy. Sad, we were becoming such great friends too… Nope, I had to sit in my mind like a little gerbil and wait whatever this was out. That really didn't sit well with me. I could be kicking leech butt right now. Gah.

Now, I had nothing to do but dwell on my idiocy. I mean, it's true---I'd been such a freaking idiot. I had practically offered myself up on a silver platter and given the vamps a free meal. At least I learned one thing, never trust a leech. Even if they do claim to be trustworthy, because newsflash---they aren't.

It's all part of their stupid game.

The Volturi messed around with the Cullens because they're bitter and they want something. Man, they _seriously _needed a new hobby. I wanted to wring their necks till they died. Too bad I can't move. And too bad they aren't actually _alive_. What exactly was happening in the real world? Were they killing me?

I was going to be in such deep shit when I got back home---if I managed to survive this. I endangered everyone due to my own selfishness. Crap, I was becoming _Sam_. I hate being alone in my head! There's nothing to do but "review" my actions like a good person.

Well, it's safe to say that my mission failed.

-.-.-.-.-

…. I see a bright light. It's coming closer…... kidding. If only. Great, now I'm playing _mind games_with myself. I would totally win at hide-and-seek though. Just saying. Please, somebody save me from this torture!

"…..surround them……different trails…….please Aro."

What the hell was that? Out of nowhere, a loud buzzing echoed in the darkness then everything was silent again. Damn, I'm sounding crazy. I imagined how I would recount my story to the others if I ever saw them again.

I'd be like, imagine this. You're in a huge dark…ballroom, and its pitch black. You can't move, or do anything. All you know is that it's silent, and the only thing that's working is your thoughts. It's like you're frozen in time. And you're small, inferior. The ballroom is your mind, the trap that ensnares you. And you're freaking stuck in the corner. Then, an intercom booms and then goes silent.

And you're left right back where you started.

Story of my life.

It dawned on me that that was exactly what I was. Stuck in my own mind.

Crap.

"Maybe I should give her another dose." Okay, I couldn't be imagining things. That was Midget.

"No, it's better this way. She'll know what's going to happen to her precious pack." And that was the freak Demetri. Yep, my ears _had_ to be working. I would never, ever, ever (multiple that by like a billion) want to hear his voice—even in my gayest of daydreams.

"We'll obtain her mate and his friend. That should be enough for Aro."

Hold up.

I A) do _not_ have a mate B) How did he even know Seth and I were "bonded?" C) What the hell?! Obtain them?

And I couldn't do a single freaking thing about it.

-.-.-.-.-

"Seth! What're you doing up here?" I listened as Embry came in.

_You idiot! _I tried screaming at him. _It's a trap_, _get_ out_. Save yourself!_ Of course, he couldn't hear me. Nobody could 'cept possibly Mind Raper. Wow. What a happy thought. Shoot me please?

Do you want to know what's sick? Listening to your oh so favorite leeches corner your older (half) brother. I heard the bangs, the taunts, the works. It nearly killed me though when Seth came into the picture. My heart seriously broke into two when I heard the deafening split of the bones. Every crack, every fracture.

And none of them sounded like they were clean breaks.

It was hard to tell who was winning in the chaos. I felt so helpless. I wanted to wake my body up and kick the leeches' butts for doing this to my friends. But alas, no magic spell would unfreeze me.

Fail.

This was pure hell. This was probably my punishment (or part of it anyway) for doing what I did. I had to hear the ones that I loved most suffer and die.

Damn, I sounded like I was on a complete soap opera.

I hated life.

Something cold and hard hit me. Like frost bite, it stung. And ironically, it was my savior. My body twitched from the touch, slowly turning itself back on. I felt like singing a chorus of _Halleluiahs. _Everything was starting to tingle and I was slowly regaining my ability to feel. Could I move again? My heart soared at the thought. I tried forcing my eyelids open once more. Nada. Okay, so I could officially hear and feel. Still needed the whole movement and seeing thing to you know, be somewhat functional.

If only I could hit those bloodsuckers with a shoe like in the Nutcracker. Or pour a bucket of water on them like in the Wizard of Oz. I wanted to able to do _something_. Ugh, why couldn't I be a freaking fairy? Instead, I'm a measly human who is stuck in her happy place.

Perfect.

It didn't matter. Two huge crashes and an atomic bomb later, there was silence. Then _a lot _of screaming. I wasn't quite sure where I was, but I'm positive that it wasn't in any candy shop.

"Get her! Jake will get Embry, and I'll get Seth. We have to go before the humans figure out what happened." Oh joy, Mind Raper. Just the person I wanted to see. 'Cause he's totally in my top five on my cell. Whatever, beggars can't be choosers. Somebody picked me up into their arms.

I tensed.

What. The. Hell.

I know I was paralyzed and everything, but I'm pretty sure that I'm not that big. And last time I checked, I was not an overgrown hairy caveman.

It hit me like a block of bricks.

Oh shit.

This can't be happening. I don't need to deal with this crap right now. You seriously have _got _to be kidding me. Almost as if they were the magic words, an invisible mental wall in my head slowly began breaking down. Yeah, not scary _at all_. I instantly felt vulnerable without it---it was a shield that every decent human being (minus Mind Raper…) was born with, and now it was leaving me? Just like that?

There was a light prodding in my mind. I cursed it, wanting it to go away. But it didn't. It kept at it till that stupid wall was completely gone.

_Told you so. _

Why is _Nick's_voice in my head? I'm losing it. I _have _to be losing it. This can't be what I think it is. It's not possible…

_Hell yeah it is. And you owe me. Yesterday, you were 'bout to blow your top. I gave you some extra time. _He stopped, trying to think of something else before I went into my whole "drama" phase. _Oh, and thanks a lot for ditching me. Now Sam's up my ass for not watching you and Em. _

I'm imagining this. I must be having some sort of coma or something. Maybe Nick is my Jiminy Cricket…yeah, that _had_ to be it. I did wrong, now his annoying self is acting like a conscience. Seriously though, why him? Even Sam would've been---no, I take that back. Sam in my head would be a nightmare. At least I'm only hallucinating. Still, what higher being had assigned _Nick_ as my moral compass? They seriously must be masochistic.

If I was able to move, I would've taken a deep breath. I'm imagining this---all of it. Shape, Nick, everything…best explanation.

_Not the right one though. This is awesome---wait till the guys hear this. I forgot what random spurts sounded like. _

_Shut up, Jiminy, _I told it, trying to stay calm. I never thought in actual sentences---this was awkward and really strange. I mean, I was talking to my freaking conscience! Which, might I add, was doing a _lousy_ job. Was it possible to fire your "helper" in moral dilemmas? I wasn't that bad of a seed, but I'm sure I would live.

_You're lucky it's me. If it had been any of the others, they'd have spooked you out. _Sure, like he wasn't doing that already. I needed to build my mental wall again.

_Yeah…about that. It's gone. Sorry. You're not the only one though if it makes you feel any better. It's just a sacrifice that we all have to make. _

What the heck is he talking about?

_C'mon, quit denying it. It's true. You __**knew **__it was true even before I came. Pretending to be in denial is not gonna help._

This bug was getting annoying. _Excuse me, but you don't know what goes through my brain. Butt. Out. _

_Actually, I kinda do. _I threw up an image of a steel wall. There. That should keep him out. After a little resistance, he managed to get past it. Shoot.

_You're going to give both of us a headache if you do that, y'know? Where are you? I can't find you. _A slow-motion movie of greenery suddenly came to mind, and I flinched—internally of course. I imagined another wall, this time it had locks and chains.

He still got through it, the pest. I could feel his stream-of-conscience poke and prod, trying to get into my memories. I failed in the whole "protecting the fortress" deal. I literally saw my life flash past my eyes---ending with the screaming in that room.

_WHAT?! You were there? And the leeches? And the other pack…ugh. Sam's gonna be pissed. _

_Who cares? _

_You should. He's your alpha now._

Back-up. I am not a werewolf, Sam is not my keeper, and I am in a coma. Therefore, none of this is real. Jiminy Cricket (aka Nick) laughed sourly.

_Whatever, Tal. _

Stupid cricket had no right to call me by my nickname. _Go to hell._

_You're conscience already has._

Smart-ass. Who knew that Jiminy had such a sense of humor?

"Give her to me," Leah said, jerking me from my thoughts. I felt myself being handed over to a pair of warm arms. "You'll be okay, Tal. Promise."

It was the first _kind _thing that someone had said to me in the last 24 hours. And ironically it was from Leah.

_Thanks. _Nick thought dryly, before he disappeared. Hmm, I offended my conscience. I bet not many people can say that. I now was alone in my happy place. It was emptier, causing some hidden emotion to tug at the pit of my stomach. And slowly, though I tried all I could to stop it, my mind began to shut down. I drifted off to a soft voice in my ear telling me about what sounded like our tribe's legends.

* * *

"You can keep her at our house," a persistent someone said for like the millionth time. I stirred and stretched out my legs. They were cramped and asleep. Stupid needles. I winced as I rode out the feeling.

"Yeah, no," Leah replied. She paused before continuing. "Thanks though."

"Why not? We'll leave."

"With leech scent around, it will be hard for her to get back to normal."

"Oh," the voice said dismally. "Where will you go then?"

"Forest, I don't know," Leah fumbled. "She's with Sam anyway, Bella." Ah so it was Bella talking. Thank you, Leah. I would rather cut off my left leg then stay at _that _house. Hold up, I was able to move. My eyelids fluttered for a second and opened. Success.

Then, I realized I wasn't so lucky.

I was blind.

Damn bloodsuckers. Panic was becoming a common emotion for me lately. It wasn't black necessarily, but it sure as hell wasn't clear. _Please, please don't be permanent. _

"Tala?" A warm hand cautiously touched my body. I cringed and Leah quickly withdrew.

"She's a pretty color, Momma." Lord help me, it was the devil child. And who the hell is she talking about? "It's like cinnamon." Out of nowhere, a clammy hand _petted_ me and that spawn poisoned my mind with an image.

_Leah and Bella were in a room. Bella's back was to the fire while Leah looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but there. A La Push wolf was curled up on the ground. It had "cinnamon" coloring with shades of silver mixed in. A lone white stripe ran down its forehead to its nose. Their eyes were milky with a familiar shade of amber. _

Shit.

One thing lead to another, and I found myself backed up in a corner growling. Nessie was doing a very good fake cry as her mom tried to comfort her. I figured out three things at that moment. One, I had maybe, quite possibly hurt the Loch Ness monster. My bad. I felt such regret. She shouldn't have touched me. Two, (this one sobered me up a bit) I either had four legs or I was the Queen of Sheba. Three, I looked like a freaking Pomeranian with all that hair.

Maybe I was invisible and that animal was just another poor soul.

I prayed.

Leah grabbed the scruff of my neck and dragged me until my feet had grass underneath them.

"Thank god," she said loudly. Or was it loudly? My ears felt really sensitive. She snapped in front of my eyes. "What did _they _do to you?"

Wow, like I wasn't wondering the same thing.

I sensed her bend down a little till our faces were level. Not that it really mattered---I couldn't see her. "I don't friggin' want to be the bearer of bad news," Leah said to herself, clearly irritated. "Damn you, Jacob. I don't want to be the one to tell you the thing that's gonna ruin the rest of your life."

Hmm, that sounded hopeful.

"Tal," she shook me gently to make sure I was listening. "You're a wolf."

"Thanks for clarifying, Captain Obvious," I told her, but when it came out, it wasn't in human words. It was in barks. No---no this couldn't be happening. That was a sound recorder or something… she _had_ to be joking. Nessie was playing me with her freakishness, and Leah was trying to punish me. I couldn't be a wolf. That wasn't possible. This was a dream.

And yet the truth that I had been trying to avoid was there, staring me straight in the face. All the evidence pieced together---this round of "Clue" was finally solved. And I had lost. Again. I recalled all the slip-ups of my friends and family, and the hints that I had picked up on my own. Oh, and my Jiminy Cricket. Guess he was more "all-knowing" than I thought. Sorry Nick.

I was so stupid.

The Answer: Tala Uley in the forest as a wolf.

In other words, I had a truckload of problems to deal with.

Leah waited as I tried to process this new information. Well, I couldn't. Usually, I was no quitter, but this time was the exception. My brain was on overload, and all I wanted to do was get away from it all.

"Tal, stop. What's wrong?" Did she _seriously _just ask me what's wrong? I'll tell her what's wrong! I am what I hate, I'm stuck in Sam's pack under _his _rules (no wonder he kept smirking to himself), I'm going to be surrounded by Mind Rapers---like the original wasn't bad enough, I was too dense to freaking figure this all out beforehand, and now I have a _huge _issue in the whole imprinting department.

Yeah, no worries. Everything's going to be just fine.

I took a step backwards and began running in the opposite direction. No, I couldn't see. No, I had no idea where I was going. Yes, I was probably close to going insane.

What's new in life?

* * *

…**.so….how'd you like it? This chapter was surprisingly hard to write considering most of it is in thoughts. I know most of you earlier were like, 'how the heck did she not figure it out before? Is she retarded?' Tala doesn't piece things together…and she did sort of know about it. I mean, she is not dumb. But it wasn't like she wanted to consider it, or admit it to herself. Remember Embry's parentage? There were all those hints, but she didn't really **_**think **_**about it. So, in short, she was pretty much in denial. Hope this was sort of entertaining ;D I have a soft spot for Seth as well. And Nick, the poor guy. Btw, Alec's "power" is slowly wearing off...right now she's blind. All mistakes are my own. **

**Please review? **


	26. Do I LOOK Like A Mutt To You?

**I know, I know. It's summer. Why aren't there many updates like last year? Apparently I procrastinate more than I thought. I'm still waiting for this magical elf to write the chapter for me. Still waiting…And I've been reading a ton. Regular books, not fanfiction. I'm trying to make up for all the time lost during the school year. I suppose writer's block can be a factor as well. This gave me a lot of trouble, so I hope it turns out okay. Minor third person in middle. **

**Enjoy! And don't forget to review :D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. And the lovely places that exist in the chapter. **

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Six:

* * *

_The Answer: Tala Uley in the forest as a wolf._

_In other words, I had a truckload of problems to deal with._

_Leah waited as I tried to process this new information. Well, I couldn't. Usually, I was no quitter, but this time was the exception. My brain was on overload, and all I wanted to do was get away from it all._

"_Tal, stop. What's wrong?" Did she __seriously __just ask me what's wrong? I'll tell her what's wrong! I am what I hate, I'm stuck in Sam's pack under __his __rules (no wonder he kept smirking to himself), I'm going to be surrounded by Mind Rapers---like the original wasn't bad enough, I was too dense to freaking figure this all out beforehand, and now I have a __huge __issue in the whole imprinting department._

_Yeah, no worries. Everything's going to be just fine._

_I took a step backwards and began running in the opposite direction. No, I couldn't see. No, I had no idea where I was going. Yes, I was probably close to going insane._

_What's new in life?_

* * *

It's as if the forest has ears. Or maybe the trees just really, really hate me. Of course when I try to make my grand escape, I run smack into the first piece of wood that my head can find. Oh yeah, that's my kind of dramatic exit. I tried again and the same thing happened. Goddammit. It's like nature was playing Whac-A-Mole with me---except I was the target.

"Tala!" Leah called a few miles back. What was really scary was that she sounded like she was right next to me. I shuddered. Supersonic hearing wasn't as cool as people made it out to be. It was downright creepy. It didn't matter. I was _not, _under any circumstances, going to stay here. I was going to get as far away as I can. Thankfully, the dense trees seemed to lighten up a bit. The million bruises on my poor head wouldn't disappear anytime soon, but I was getting somewhere and that was all that mattered. My vision was slowly clearing as well---now, I could see blurry shapes. Such a step up. I was so going to be an Olympic Park tree expert by the time I stopped. I think I hit pretty much every one of them in the area.

_Wolf. Wolf. Wolf. _The word was still haunting me. I didn't want to listen to reason or logic. I didn't want to think about the truth. I couldn't be a wolf. It wasn't possible---my bloodlines wouldn't allow it. No, that wasn't true. Leah had phased…and I was a descendant of Levi Uley. God, my life was so messed up. I couldn't even count on my fingers how many problems I had right now. I didn't want to deal with _any _of this. I needed to run. Run until I was worn down into the ground. Run until I wasn't myself anymore. I had to run like the stupid animal I didn't want to be.

I must've passed at least twenty road signs before I slowed down. Well, more like crashed. The world went from fuzzy to sharp in less than two seconds. My vision finally came back to me--- now I had wolf eyes. Great, I can feel a migraine coming on. Do shapeshifters even get headaches? Everything was so disconcerting. I could see crystallized dew drops on a faraway leaf as well as the movement of a caterpillar on a nearby tree. Suddenly, I saw bubbles and bits and pieces dropping from the sky. My heart almost burst out of my chest. What kind of game was this? Was it raining alien spaceship pieces now?

They were random particles.

Christ. It didn't help that I was already feeling like I was going to drown in all the noise. The wind was so loud, the birds were obnoxious, and the bugs were freaking annoying. How did _they _handle this? I prefer my dull human senses thank you very much. Seriously, what other mythical creatures lived on this planet? Were mermaids going surface from the lake I could hear nearby?

I wouldn't be surprised.

I stopped, realizing I hadn't even tried to do the obvious---phase back. I was such a smartie. I bet every shapeshifter in the La Push had thought to do that first. Then again, when was I ever normal? I began focusing on my image, but that is easier said than done. I didn't look at mirrors often, so I really didn't know what I looked like. I mean, sure, I had an idea, but nothing definite. Okay, new plan. I squeezed my eyes and tried "gathering the spirit within" or whatever crap it was that mystics spewed. Obviously it was a fail. Stupid books and movies---who the hell even did that? Who can seriously "find their inner power" by concentrating? What a load of hocus pocus.

So far, being a magical shapeshifter sucked.

If boys who had brains the size of walnuts could do this, so could I. How hard could it be? I just had to be positive about it. What a joke. Like I was going to feel _that _emotion anytime soon. I thought about all the happy times in my life, my parents, my friends, my Se---I mean, Seth, and what did I get? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Still a monster. Thanks a ton, Mother Nature. You're going into my good books. All I knew was that I couldn't give up. If I did, then I would be stuck like this forever. As a wolf---the animal that killed my mom. I started shaking at the thought. My blood was practically sizzling in my veins.

Don't. Even. Go. There.

I went there.

And completely lost it.

* * *

A young man set up a large, topless barrel on its side, putting it at a 90-degree angle to a tall oak. Everyone doubted he would catch anything as good as a grizzly, but he would do it. He was going to prove them all wrong. Reaching into his bag, the man took out some dead rabbit meat---the butcher had been nice enough to give him a few scraps earlier. Mildly disgusted, the man double-checked the barrel to make sure his bear wouldn't walk away. It had happened to his friend once, and the poor guy had been the laughing stock of the whole hunting reserve.

It wouldn't happen to him.

He was going to get a fine catch.

* * *

A fresh wave of pain awoke my mind as I found myself caught in metal teeth. Where the hell was I? Last thing I remember was trying to phase…after that, it was a blur. Literally. I remember trees and green. And blood…. Shit.

I'd lost control.

The wolf must've been dominating, not me. What a reassuring thought. Hopefully I hadn't killed anyone. By the smell of it, I had probably eaten a rabbit or something. Ugh, why hadn't anyone mentioned this before? Was it a popular trend---letting your beast get ahead of you? Probably not. I had been unstable and dangerous---almost like a _real _werewolf. Perfect, just what I need. The thought gave me chills, or maybe it was the metal object that currently trapped my left paw. That was _really _starting to hurt. I am so freaking stupid.

"Aww shit. A dog? Really?" The hunter dropped his walkie-talkie and sighed, circling me. "So much for that dream." This was just great. My first day on fours and I get myself trapped. Why me? When would the guy upstairs give me a break? You'd think I would have seen a sign. Or smelled danger and sweaty humans. Or anything. The wolf in me was too damn oblivious. And that guy must be blind as bat. Seriously, do I _look _like a mutt?

He groped around my fur, trying to get through it to let me out. Yeah, this wasn't uncomfortable _at all_. I tried snapping at the hand, but the dude muzzled me with a metal chains. Like a dog. Oh the irony. The guy was probably eighteen or nineteen by the looks of it. His dark brown hair was cut short, hidden under a Yankee baseball cap. He had no taste in sport teams whatsoever, but hey, that was just a lone wolf's opinion. Finally, he pried my foot out of that damn contraption. I winced---this was going to take an hour or two to heal.

A really obnoxious ring tone rang from the dude's pocket. Thankfully, he answered his phone on the second round. Good, 'cause if he didn't, I was going to jump him. Not kidding. It was _that _annoying.

"Hey Jeb, wanna dog? It's some kind of mix. And it's pretty hairy." Well, isn't this craptastic. I'm outta here---it was fun while it lasted. Not. Just as I was preparing myself to run away, the guy shoves this choker collar on me. I kept on going, completely determined. If I pulled it hard enough, my super-strength should do the rest. Right?

Yeah, sure.

The dude fell, his cell flying out of his hand. But of course, as I began sprinting for cover, my leg gives out from under me.

Shit. I guess the cut was deeper than I thought. _Work you stupid healing powers. _

They didn't work.

Surprise.

Now, the hunter had some sort of tranquilizer gun, and was attempting to creep up on me. I saw you buddy, so much for your evil plan. I wasn't stupid, but I had honestly no clue if the gun would even be able to hurt me or not. I didn't plan on finding out. I whined and lay down on the forest floor. I swear, if he even thought about shooting me with one of those, I _would_ hurt him. Really, really bad. He stared me straight in the eyes and waved that thing around.

Watch it, freak. I bet you don't even have a permit for that.

It was an unspoken order. If I misbehaved, I'd be off to beddy-by land. Fine, if he wanted to play like that, then I was game. He was going down. I was tired, irritated, and one more problem wasn't really going to change much. I growled for good measure, wanting to snicker at his reaction. At least I could get a kick out of this.

He tried picking me up at first, but that was a fail from the start. He got a nice work-out, heaving and blowing air out of his mouth while trying to hold me. I laughed, though it sounded more like a throaty cough to my ears. He gave me this incredulous look, and put me down again.

"Think you're such a tough one, girl." Hmm, he must've found out my gender while he was man-handling me. And that's not awkward how? After a dozen different tactics ranging from dragging me to putting me on his shoulder and nearly breaking his back, the guy decided to put a chain around me and wave his tranquil gun around like a madman so I would follow him.

Damn idiot.

His truck was only a mile away in the middle of the forest. I bet _that _wasn't protocol either. He was endangering what wildlife there was left.

"Ross, you there? Did you catch a big one?" His walkie-talkie mocked at him. He gave me a _'why did you do this to me' _look before pressing a button and telling the radio what happened. Strange, now that I thought about it, he was a dead-ringer for Ross Geller from _Friends _minus the hair and well, his obvious youth. I always hated that character---he annoyed me to death. My love for the hunter just went down a notch. Now it was in the negatives.

"There's a local pound a few miles away, just take it there and come back," the scratchy voice replied. "You have a day pass."

"Right," Ross nodded to himself, and put the thing back on his belt. He let out a long breath before hauling me into the backseat. "No funny business," he told me after taking a swing of his canteen, waving a finger for good measure. I rolled my eyes, forgetting that I was supposed to act like a dog. The guy flinched and gave me a nice hard stare. Great, now I had to act dog-like. What would a dog do?

I tried to mimic a bark. He frowned, but it did the trick 'cause he climbed into the front seat and we were off. The trip seemed endless. I laid my head on the hard surface, watching my captor. He began talking to himself a few minutes in, and it wasn't till he paused when I realized he was having a conversation with me.

"You don't look like a regular old dog," he muttered. "I really need to change my contact prescription." See, I was right. He was blind…sort of. At least it wasn't his intelligence factor in question anymore. Though I was still iffy on that one. I gave a small yap in agreement. Lord, I sounded like a Yorkie. Shoot me please?

"A dog on the loose in a hunting reserve. You asking for suicide? If it was a hound, sure, whatever. But a mutt?" He chuckled to himself. If only he knew. The thought started imprinting itself in my brain, and suddenly I became really restless. Nobody had phased and heard me from Sam's pack. Which meant no one knew I was missing. Which meant I was kinda sorta screwed.

Again.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. There was no way in hell I could make lemonade from this situation. Sayings were so misinforming---somebody should fix that. I _would_ eventually get away. Worst comes to worst somebody would adopt me and unfortunately lose me the same night. What if they decided to put me down though? They couldn't. There had to be somebody smart at the pound who could figure out what I was. I mean, how many dumbos in this world could there be?

I really, _really_ didn't want to know the answer to that.

_What up, Tala? _

Finally. Some communication. Although I hated the whole mind link thing, there were way worse things in life than having Nick in my head. Don't quote me on that.

_Good, I'm not the stupid cricket anymore. That's a step up---_

_Whatever, I kinda have a problem…_

_---Sam found out, he's beyond mad. Crap, they're here---I'm not supposed to be phasing._Nick rambled on, not listening to me.I got a look into his mind and saw a group of Quileute boys gaining on him. _Em had her baby. A boy. Named him Braedon or something like that. Anyway, yeah, I gotta go. Don't know where you are, so---_

_NICK. _I bared my teeth in frustration. _I need help. _I grudgingly opened up my mind to him. He was silent for a second. If he were human, he would've given me one of those 'now you've done it' whistles.

_Only you_, he managed to think before cracking up.

_Shut up or I'll neuter you. _

_Aww, you're just mad 'cause you're in for it. _Nick was wheezing so hard in his wolf form. I could only guess what was going through the guys' minds right now.

_Yeah, well, can you maybe do something? Like, oh I don't know, _save _me? _

_Nick to the rescue! _Oh god, I just got an image of Nick dressed in spandex doing a Superman pose. I needed to claw out my eyes. They burned…

_Naughty, naughty Tal. Sorry, but my heart is already given out to someone. _He was so full of it.

_And that would be…_

_Sam, _he thought as seriously as he could before he burst out in wolfy coughs. It was sad that he thought it was funny. I really needed to teach him a few new jokes. _Actually, he kinda grounded me from wolf form. Just a lover's spat---no biggie. _

I shook my head slightly. _You scare me._

_I scare you? _You _scare me. Imagine what you would do when you're _actually_ sane. _

_Nick! I _really _don't have time for your messed-up head. Get somebody to get me, __**now**__. _I didn't even care who it was. As long as it was somebody was able to drive without crashing. Beggars can't be choosers. I realized that what's his face had gone silent, and inwardly groaned. I checked the window, and my suspicions were confirmed.

We were at the pound.

_What do you say?_ Nick asked, trying to get a rise out of me.

_Dear god, fine. __**Please**__! Happy?_

The metal lettering read 'Portland Dog Shelter.' Perfect. Just _how_ far did I run?

_You do know that that's like five and a half hours away, right? It's gonna be awhile. _The boys who had been so engrossed in watching Nick have a laughing fit were now currently dragging him by his hind legs towards a house. _I'll tell 'em. Have fun in a cage. _

_Have fun getting pummeled. _

His consciousness blinked out, and I was alone with Ross. Joy. The back door opened and two men surveyed me. My captor was behind them, nodding at something one of the beanpoles said. Yes, I was a female. Yes, I did not have an owner and was randomly in a hunting reserve. Yes, I was wounded. No, I was _not _a Pomeranian twice removed. No, I did not have little puppies with me. No, I wouldn't stop growling.

The questions were endless. And if they even thought about sticking a shot up my butt, there would be hell to pay. I was _really_pissed. Ross didn't help my case when he said I might have rabies. The spineless bastard, how 'bout I give _you_ something to think about?

The retards finally lifted me up, and to my satisfaction, were red-faced and panting. They both were skinny enough to make a cameo for pencils---absolutely no meat on their bones. Served them right. They needed to know how to survive if they wanted to live in our messed-up world. Food was a big necessity. I suppose I should've been insulted that they couldn't carry my weight, but _that _ship sailed a long time ago. I had bigger fish to fry.

"Vet's not comin' till tomorrow, Dan," the taller one told his co-worker. Dan pressed his lips together, his face turning a lovely puce.

"Put it in a cage. We'll deal with it then." Ross then gave me a small pat before waving our trio off. He seemed relieved to get rid of me. Well, I was too. Though I'd rather be with that maniac then here…

"He was smart enough to muzzle it. Those eyes are murderous." Good. I hope he was intimidated till he peed in his pants. I wasn't in the mood to show any mercy. I got captured by leeches, had lost all my senses thanks to Pretty Boy, and found out I was a shapeshifter all in the same weekend. Nope, I wasn't really feeling the love.

They rudely pushed me into a cage after some inexperienced bandaging, and left, warning the attendant, Shirley, not to come close. She, of course, wasn't the type to oblige.

"Oh hunny, were those big men mean to you?" She said in the type of voice reserved only for dogs and babies. The frizzy-haired woman took one look at me, opened the cage, and took off that freaking muzzle.

I howled.

She shook her head, and said in a more normal tone, "Those two really are idiots." I completely and fully agreed. Score one for Shirley. "You're not just a Husky, I see some German Shepherd in there."

Christ. Maybe intelligence really isn't valued as much as it once was. I'm a freaking _wolf_. Well, technically, a shapeshifter, but they'd be too dense to even think of that one. A phone rang in the distance, and she left me to go answer it. I studied the drab room. There was a desk and one of those cool chairs that you could whirl in forever as well as a few more cages. They were all empty, but I could hear the howling from the next room. I didn't speak 'dog,' but I'm pretty sure the animals were ticked off at their situation. Just a guess. I decided to bark in unison---no way in hell was I going to be _timid _and _quiet_. Shirley shushed me, but that did a load of good. I just got louder.

A volunteer, a girl a year or two younger by the looks of it, came with bowls of food and water. Her eyebrows went up when she saw me stuck behind that barred fence of metal. It was obvious she knew what I was. She even scoffed at the paper that identified me as a Husky/German Shepherd mix (Shirley had so helpfully added the last part after she had her epiphany). They also had given me a generic dog name---Cinnamon. What a creative bunch.

"Please don't bite me," she murmured as she gingerly flipped open the lock. Fine, I wouldn't---only because she said please. I was going to bust out of this joint instead. My nose told me that the water and food were spiked with some sedative. Wow, they're humane. Dan or somebody probably heard me and wanted me to shut up while I was "ill." Whatever, this time, my last minute plan was going to work. It _had _to.

And it did…to a point.

I crashed into the brown-skinned teen as I sprinted towards the closest window. It was my best bet considering there were no doors open, and a little glass wasn't going to hurt me. My head crashed into the pane, and I bounced back. What the hell? Was it bullet-proof or something? I shook my head and tried again. It was no use---all I had done was make a dent in my head. A hesitant laugh sounded behind me and I turned, ready to dare them to try and stop me. Shirley had these insanely huge gloves on, and was slowly coming forward. The volunteer was still on the floor in amazement, the food and water covering her jeans.

"Here doggie doggie," she said in a soothing tone. I had an urge to roll my eyes. How retarded did she think I was? Even a_ regular _dog would know that meant trouble. I heard a snort come from behind the woman. Apparently the girl had the same thought process as I did. Go her.

"Jack, I need help in here," Shirley yelled. One of those beanpoles came in, took one glance at me, and got a choker leash. _Catch me if you can_. I started darting around the room, letting those people come one inch near me before I used my super speed. It was kind of like that fairytale with the dude and the goose, except they were losing. Hilarious fun, but I needed an escape door, pronto.

After about ten minutes, "Dan" nabbed me from behind a pile of dog food in the office area. I had been too cocky. My big head always seems to get in the way of things. I _thought _I could handle leeches, and look where I ended up then? Kidnapped. I _thought _I could overpower dear old Ross and these people, but no, I get outsmarted. More like surrounded---it wasn't as if the odds were ever in my favor. They threw me back into the cage, and left the room.

Cowards.

The edges of my vision started turning red, and I instantly realized I needed to calm down, or else I'd lose control again. I tried inhaling and exhaling like in yoga. Fat luck---I was shaking so hard now. I finally figured out the pattern. Get mad when you're human, turn into a ball of fur. Get mad when you're a wolf, lose to Mother Nature. Simple, quick, and effective.

It was if everything was warring against me.

I was stuck in the middle for I don't know how long. There was a flat out battle going on in my head. The wolf-side of me wanted to dominate again, and my mind almost let it a couple of times. It would be so easy---all I needed was to let go. Psh, like that was going to happen. When had I ever ignored a good fight? It was something I couldn't resist---like chocolate. The temptation was too great. I heard voices in the distance---arguing. I told them to shut up, but it didn't really come out the way I wanted it to. A bark wasn't going to do much good in the human world. I tried to distract myself and think of all the ways I could escape.

-Transform into my human form (hopefully it would work this time) in the cage, unlock the door, and hope to whatever's holy that nobody came in. Me naked wasn't very becoming.  
-Launch myself against the cage until it broke. I could heal later. But if I knocked myself out, that _really _wouldn't be a good thing. Shirley would be delighted though. Or Dumb and Dumber.  
-Use my teeth. Or claws. Or anything sharp, really. Could work…but where would I go after? Probably into one of those other death traps.  
-Be a good little mutt and wait for somebody to come and adopt me. It could happen, though with my snarls, I highly doubted it. I wasn't exactly friendly.  
-Hope that Nick passed on the message, and just wish that whoever picking me up would get their asses over here faster.

None of those options really appealed to me, so I settled for the last one. Maybe some deity would hear my pleas and grant me mercy. Highly doubtful.

"She must have gotten out, sorry to cause you all this trouble." Nope, instead they send me Sam. I wanted to go dig a hole and bury myself in it. Enduring Sam's wrath wasn't really high on my to-do list. I felt like murdering Nick. When I got a hold of him, I would---

"I wouldn't go near it," one of the dudes told him. "It's been growling and howling for half the day. And it bites." He must have been the one I tried to take a chunk out of. Oops.

Sam just laughed. "She isn't known to follow orders."

"And we had to chase it around the place for a good twenty minutes after it managed to get out of its cage. It nearly killed one of my volunteer workers." Oh pu-leaze. The girl had only been startled. It wasn't like I clawed her or anything. Though I _did _have half a mind to do it to Shirley. That woman's squeals were extremely annoying.

My cousin side-glanced me and sighed. "Did she cause any damage?"

_Only to their egos_, I snickered. The man shook his head---almost regretfully---and gave Sam a collar and a leash to take me out with. "It was hurt when he brought it in---apparently it stepped in some kind of bear trap." Sam raised an eyebrow in my direction and threw up his hands. "Always a wild one. Hopefully we will never meet again."

The man, I figured out it was Jack, whole-heartedly agreed and shoved the papers from the clipboard above my cage into my cousin's hands, wanting us gone. Apparently our welcome had been over-stayed. Sam, the ass, kept me on the leash till we got into the car, but refused to take off my collar. It wasn't like I could phase or anything, but still. He sucked.

"Dammit, Tala. What the hell is wrong with you?" He clenched the wheel for a few seconds before he was composed enough to reverse out of the parking space. "First, I find out you ditched Emily when she was in labor. And, when I finally get some peace and quiet with my wife and my son, I get the news that the leeches took you and Jake's pack went on a rescue mission to Seattle without even telling me. Then, I learn from Nick that you phased and high-tailed it out of La Push. And he wasn't even supposed to be in that form in the first place."

_You should counsel yourself_, I thought dryly. He sadly couldn't hear me. Instead, he began raving some more about how stupid I had been. No objections there.

"I give you a _few_ hours to blow off some steam, and you get caught." Now I _really _couldn't let him see what happened, or he'd get _really_ pissed. He better not phase anytime soon. Hopefully Emily and the baby would be a handful enough. Why did he even come out here anyway? He had his wife and child to take care of, not his delinquent cousin. The many mysteries of Sam.

He was quiet till we were about an hour away from La Push. It was torture. I'd rather him yell at me and make noise, then wear that stupid "I'm so calm" mask over his face. He reached for the papers that Jack had thrust in his hands.

"A Husky/German Shepherd. Really?" He regarded the paper with amusement, and then peered over at me. "What am I going to do with you?"

If only he knew.

* * *

**So what's the consensus? Hate it? Like it? Sam had a bigger role originally in this chapter, but then again, my plot line was a bit different. He's funny. I feel almost bad for him. As for the whole 'losing control' bit...I wondered if it would happen to shapeshifters. My imagination getting away from me ;D My apologies for not putting this up faster. I **_**do **_**have the next chapter already mapped out—I think. Now all I have to do is write it. Wow, this is such a drama---believe me, what I originally wrote would have been even **_**more **_**out there. Probably will use it in the future, hehe. No cliffies for you guys today. All mistakes are my own. Hopefully I didn't leave out full fragments when editing. **

…**please review?**


	27. A Word With The Wise

……**.erm sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I'm just gonna skip over my excuses and give you the chapter. It's sorta a filler---not too much drama. It had to be written. I **_**have **_**been working on this story though. I edited a lot of my earlier chapters (probably making even more mistakes), so hopefully it won't be too much of a headache if you decide to go back and re-read it. Yeah, so, enjoy! And don't forget to review :D **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. And Nick. And all the other names you don't recognize. **

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

* * *

_He was quiet till we were about an hour away from La Push. It was torture. I'd rather him yell at me and make noise, then wear that stupid "I'm so calm" mask over his face. He reached for the papers that Jack had thrust in his hands. _

"_A Husky/German Shepherd. Really?" He regarded the paper with amusement, and then peered over at me. "What am I going to do with you?" _

_If only he knew. _

* * *

Sam still wouldn't take that damn collar off.

Instead, he coolly regarded me with a new "I'm full of wisdom crap" expression and proceeded to lock me in his car. And I thought that the people at the shelter were idiots… The only reason I didn't stop him was because I had no hellish idea what he was up to. My mistake---it was _Sam _we were talking about here.

He looked at me through the window and grinned, his key ring twirling off his fingers. The bastard. I wasn't really into the whole car-wreaking business, but I suppose I could make an exception for my dear old cousin. I bet he'd be pleased.

"Don't even think about it," he said from outside the car. I growled, meeting him eye to eye. What was this? Some practical joke? It couldn't be a test 'cause I'm nearly positive Sam didn't want the innards of his truck destroyed. Just a guess. Whatever, it was _his _problem, not mine. I showed him a claw and faked taking out the wheel.

He wasn't impressed.

"I can lay an injunction on you if I want," he informed me. I rolled my eyes---if that's even possible for a wolf. He was seriously already resorting to _that_? Sam totally just went down on the coolness bar, not that I would _ever_ in my life describe my cousin as "cool." That would be close to treason.

We decided to have ourselves a little staredown. Alpha against subordinate.

I lost.

"Hey, man. She in there?" Somebody jogged up, jerking their head towards the car. I think it was Jared. He was slightly shorter than Sam and had a bulkier frame. Yep, definitely Kim's lover. He was the one who had the dark birthmark on his neck. I didn't know whether I should be relieved or worried.

"Why'd you---?" He pointed to the keys and me, questioning Sam's sanity. Finally. A _reasonable _person. Let freedom ring.

"I am not driving to Portland again," my cousin muttered darkly. Oh god, seriously? He locked me in the freaking car because of that? It wasn't like I was going to run for it once he let me out. Granted, the thought _did _cross my mind, but that's besides the point.

Jared nodded. "So, normal stuff?" What the hell was that supposed to mean? Normal stuff for what? Torturing me? Encaging me? Punishing me? I'd _hate_ to think it was anything to do with one of those. And here I was thinking that Sam was going to give me a nice little "welcome to werewolfdom" speech that he'd probably practiced in front of a mirror a bajillion times. No, instead, he lets his cohort do the dirty work.

How typical.

Sam made this weird head jerk. "Too late for that. Can you go find Leah for me? Also, tell the pack not to shift."

"Sure, but she," Jared pointed to me, "won't be able to hear her."

"Human form's fine," my cousin replied and turned back to me. Jared shrugged and sprinted down the road. Did I _really_ want to know? I contemplated this while his oh so amazing Alpha studied me, probably thinking of ways to take me down. Yep, like that's not unsettling. "I'm gonna let you out, Tal. Don't try to escape, 'kay?" Was that the makings of a threat? I scanned Sam's stance and felt like smirking. Why yes, yes it was. I should totally star as Nancy Drew. I could get used to this whole "I feel smart" feeling. With that heartwarming thought, I decided to prepare for battle and make the situation a little more interesting. What was the _worst _he could do to me, anyway?

As usual, I spoke too soon.

When I attempted to attack his face as a distraction (don't even ask), he caught me in his arms and we both fell into a pile of mud from a recent rainfall. Ugh. Then, I tried to untangle myself and dart for the trees, but that sort of backfired as well. I really needed to stop making escape plans---they were going to be my downfall one day. You'd seriously _think _I'd have learned by now that I suck at that particular skill.

_Why don't you listen?! _Oops. I made Sam phase. My bad. Thank the Lord I wasn't watching him a moment ago. That might've been a little uncomfortable explaining to Emily. Saying that you saw her husband naked is definitely not a conversation starter. Actually, it kind of made me feel sick. Sam. In his birthday suit. I felt like throwing up. The picture was haunting.

_I have trouble with authority. _

_Tala. _He warned. I shook my coat out, feeling a bit smug when the pelts of brown hit him. He snorted at my juvenile antics and looked down at me, all two hundred and something pounds of him. My tail drooped as I assessed the situation. The guy was massive in comparison. If we had some sort of wrestling match, there would be no contest to who would win.

That didn't stop me from trying.

I pounced, biting his side before attempting to run away. Why? Because I was pissed, confused, and really had no sense of self-preservation. And, I was kinda scared. Scared that I would be stuck like this forever. Scared that everything was going to change. Though, I would never_ ever_ admit that, even if I had to swear on a Bible in front of a jury. Hell was a better future than enduring Sam's opinion on my lack of control.

_What happened? _

I was a freaking retard. I forgot about the curse of shapeshifting: pack mind. And number one rule of mind blocking: _don't think about it._

Fail.

I froze while Sam caught up to me, trapping me by one of those hated trees.

_Nothing. Mind your own business. _

_I can see what goes on in your head, you know. _Sam thought, completely ignoring me. _Remind me never to put you on trial. So what happened? _He growled as I tried to twist out of his grasp. Oh right, I was supposed to be all submissive to him 'cause he was higher in rank. Like that would ever happen. He could suffer for all I cared. I didn't really feel like explaining.

Fortunately, I didn't have to. _Un_fortunately though, I kept forgetting that my brain was practically an open buffet and he could take what he liked from it.

Stupid greedy werewolf. I realized that my pride was in for a major ass-rubbing. Perfect. What a plus to my shapeshifting career.

His mind was all emotions---spurts of blacks and reds exploding like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Funny, I'd never really thought about stuff like that till now. After being doused in a multi-wave of colors, I sensed Sam turning his "Alpha" mode on. Great. Drama King exits stage. Stony enters. Just what I needed. A stoic.

_You lost control? _

_Okay, you just seriously scanned my mind and you __**still **__need a confirmation? You're shitting me, right?_

_Jeez, you're Paul all over again. _He complained. _And __**I've **__got to be the one to train you. _

_Glad to keep you on your toes_, I mocked. _And I'm not a dog. I don't need training. _What a freaking lie. I ran out of La Push without knowing it and got myself caught in a bear trap. Smart move. Oh, and then the wolf inside of me kept wanting to come out and play. Wow that sounded wrong. Even now, though, I could feel it at the back of my mind---haunting me.

He swore, probably cursing the day I was born. Why thanks, Sam_. _It wasn't like I could help it. _You might not be able to phase for a week or two, _he admitted. _Even the newbies didn't have it that bad. _

_Wow, something to look forward to. _This was just getting better and better.

_Next time then, control your wolf. _He snarled at my very much appreciated sarcasm. It was unconvincing I might add----I think he was losing his touch. Sam started pacing around the clearing, trying to rack his genius un-walnutty brain for a plan to help his "sister."

_Earth to Sam, I'm your cousin. _Oh yeah, I thought I was such a smartass.

_We're all sisters and brothers. _

_You don't actually believe in that crap, do you?_

He inwardly groaned. _That "crap" is your heritage. It's the reason why you're screwed, and I'm stuck working with another short fuse. _

_Well aren't we reverent. _

_You're going to phase sometime, Tala. Try and concentrate on---_

_Yeah, I did that. Didn't work. I tried everything in the freaking "what to do when you're a werewolf" manual and it didn't work. Don't give me another crappy speech on how I'm going to change by thinking of the good things in life. As of right now, there aren't any. _

Sam would've rolled his eyes at me if he could._ Do you even know what happened before you went to Portland?_

I didn't respond. I _had_ wanted to ask him in the car about Seth, Embry, and the bloodsuckers, but he wasn't the greatest of translators for the "wolf" language. Ironic, considering he was one half the time. Sam didn't even listen to my thoughts before continuing. _The leeches somehow got away when an explosion deal went off in that apartment. Now the whole city is freaking out about bombs. Seth and Embry got pretty beaten up. Are you saying that it wasn't worth it? _

Stupid Sam. Twisting around my words must be his expertise, but he did strike a chord. Because all of that---the whole vampire fiasco---was entirely my fault. I had sort of been hoping that it was just a nightmare my overactive imagination had dreamed up, but who was I kidding? Embry and Seth were stuck as infirmary patients thanks to me and the freaking mafia got away. What's even worse is now the Mind Raper has something on me. Same with his Stepford wife.

Life sucked.

You know what, screw imprinting. I needed to see _him_. Fate and its messed up ways could wait. Seth saved my butt and ungrateful little me had a lovely time on the self pity train instead of oh, I don't know, thanking him. I felt awful.

_But you can't shift back. _Sam thought to add to my rant. He was probably hoping that he'd given me an incentive to get back to normal. I'm sure for some people that would've have worked, but I was different. More wolf than human in this form. Just because I had somewhat of a thought process now didn't mean it was going to last. I didn't know if that creeped out Sam or me more.

_No shit, Sherlock. _I was going in as a demented furry beast. I hoped to all that's holy that my mind stayed put. I didn't want to see him when I was a vicious bunny-eating murderer. That might put a damper to things. But first I had to figure out where Seth was. I would obviously need to check his house first, and if he wasn't there---

"Nice," a voice said, making me jump. Dammit, what was wrong with me? I didn't even smell her---a fact that didn't exactly reassure me. The black wolf beside me vanished and came back fully clothed. "You put a collar around her?" Leah's eyebrow rose to her hairline while her hands immediately went to her hips.

The fabric rubbed against my furry neck and I exhaled noisily, settling myself down on the grassy floor. Maybe Leah could tell me where Seth was. That would save me loads of trouble and I might be able to find out some more news. Sam scratched the back of his neck, clearly tense.

"She needs to be in our pack," Leah said, not waiting for an answer. "I'll be able to help her adjust better and she'd probably go mad if she had to hear all you guys at once." I snorted. I was definitely not looking forward to all that testosterone. And no way in hell was I going to let myself be stuck with Sam the rest of my life. I would rather go for suicide.

Sam shook his head. "She stays in mine till she learns how to control herself."

"Jacob knows what to do, _Sam_." Leah put every feeling she had for my cousin in that one word. His brilliant impression of a rock remained ingrained on his face. "Anyway, she probably has better control than you."

And the award goes to Leah for making the stupidest assumption I've ever heard. Let's hear the applause, people. Sam's lips quirked at the corners---he knew the ugly truth. "She didn't run off to Portland because she wanted to, _Leah_."

I must've missed the symbolism or something, but her face drained. It was official---I had no hope in getting in their pack now. Control was a thousand miles away. And I couldn't help it, I started shaking. If he _thinks _he has authority over me, he can just go stick a---

"What about my brother?!" She was mad now, the perfect fuel for my anger. Sam saw me from the corner of my eye and groaned.

"Stop, Tala." That was no simple request, and the obvious command made me even more ticked off. I could wrestle with my own emotions, thank you very much. I growled, trying to block out the double timbre of the Alpha as it began weighing me down. I wanted to run, run to somebody who would help me. Somebody that deserved way more than what I could give him.

Seth.

My fur bristled on end, and my lips curled back into a snarl.

"Tal," Leah said uneasily as she watched me fight Sam's order. I had the _same _freaking bloodline as my cousin, why'd he have to be the one giving out demands? Oh right, probably because he had a hell of a lot more sense. But still…I wanted to be the one directing myself. Not him. After a few more moments of struggling, my legs finally buckled beneath me, my tail low to the ground. As if it were by magic, my frenzy had evaporated and I was left at an impasse.

Not cool. Not cool _at all_. Sam just lost three bars on the scale. He could go into the negatives like that idiot, Ross.

Leah's eyes widened as she took the scene in. Sam looked at me strangely and gave me a reassuring pat on the head. I bit him. I was in no mood to be gracious. Being a freaking puppet was not my idea of fun.

"Why aren't you with Emily?"

The question seemed to catch him off guard. He pursed his lips before answering. "I needed to make sure Tala was okay before I did anything else. I didn't realize it was this bad." Sam left it at that, not going into any further explanations. I couldn't tell if he was trying to be mysterious (what a laugh) or if he was seriously being genuine. If I weren't so pissed at him right now, I'd probably feel mildly grateful. Maybe. He picked helping me over being with his newborn child.

I felt selfish. Like _insanely _selfish.

"Your brother---"

"---is at the Cullen's along with Embry," Leah finished, clearly disgusted. My ears fell and I felt like somebody had punched me. She noticed. "It's not safe for you to go there right now," she told me. "Your senses would go mad. Remember last time?"

I remembered. I couldn't go see Seth. Not without attacking one of the leeches. Jeez, why me? Why'd _I _have to be the one with the awful shifting problem? Even Paul and that Damien kid weren't as bad as me---Sam had hinted that much. And they were _horrible _about keeping their temper.

There was something wrong with me. Was it genetic? I swore vehemently in my mind. Now all I needed was Sam to put his lovely code over me and I'd be set for life. Great, I could feel my body vibrating again. Damn it to hell. Where's an empath when you need one?

But my cousin must've been distracted 'cause he didn't say a word. Leah and him talked as civilly as they could (which isn't saying much) before splitting ways. He went to the truck so he could be with Emily, and she stayed with me. So much for that goodbye. At least he didn't make me kneel at his feet and drool like the other guys.

You think I'm kidding.

Whatever, I was not going to associate myself with _them_. I wasn't part of their pack, no matter what Sam liked to think. I squinted and tried changing my loyalties. Didn't work. I tried again, doubtlessly looking like a very constipated wolf with diaherra issues. Apparently if I couldn't phase, I couldn't switch packs.

Brilliant. Just my luck.

"It's going to be okay," Leah murmured while watching Sam's bulky figure fire up the engine. I wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or me because as of right now, the world might as well end and it wouldn't matter. I couldn't go see the one person who made me feel human and happy. Loved, even.

Needless to say, I felt like crap.

"You're going to choke with all that fur," she said a matter-of-factly. I gave her a "so what" glare and turned my head. She laughed, too cold for my liking. "Maybe we should shave you."

….what?

My back arched and my ears flattened against my skull. No way was she going to touch me. I would rather be flown to Timbuktu then be victim under a blade.

"You're going to have to cut your hair, sometime. A puff ball is not that menacing, fyi. You look like my pet hamster from the fifth grade."

I'd hate to think what happened to that poor animal.

She walked around me and I shrunk involuntarily. Crap, now I'm going to seem like she's getting to me. _Stay strong and hope to god she doesn't produce a razor. _"Actually, more like my old Furby. Christ that thing was annoying. Reminds me of Seth. We threw it in a closet 'cause it wouldn't shut up."

Seth. The word sent a pang to my heart as cheesy as that sounds. Screw bloodsuckers. I could handle them if I was _extremely _careful. I trotted over to Leah and wagged my tail, challenging her to catch me.

She didn't get it till it was too late.

I was already on the run for the Cullen house before I heard the magical _pop _of her phasing. But nothing, not even Leah Clearwater, was going to get in my path.

I was on top of the world.

* * *

The smell stopped me in my tracks. So much for being invincible.

It was _terrible_. Compared to the woodsy scent of the shapeshifters, this was pungent, nearly unbearable. Then again, maybe I was just undertaking the hysterics of my dad. I seemed to be sounding a lot like him as of late.

This greatly disturbed me. Oh god, I was becoming like the _Uley men_. Kill me please?

My nose twitched as I accidentally breathed in another whiff. Imagine the sickly sweet cough medicine that your parents poured down your throat when you were a kid, add burnt sugar to that lovely concoction along with Alice's disgusting air freshener, and then ta-da you've got yourself leech scent to-go. And let me tell you, it did not taste like that nasty cherry flavor. My tongue caught a few particles in the air and I felt like gagging.

There are no words…

I tried taking another step closer, but my legs wouldn't move. Shit. I could see the white house through the tree branches and wanted to murder my freaking nervous system. I was _so _close. I practically saw the wood shavings that were chipping off the door.

And for the first time ever, I wished it was raining. The revolting smell would be washed away and I could actually become mobile. Of course, Mother Nature ignored my plea. The sky remained a cloudy gray. Why was I not surprised? Nothing ever seemed to go my way.

I didn't hear her until a second before she attacked. I really needed to get a sensei so I could "open my mind to the beyond" and all that other crap. A mass of gray sprung onto my back and I rolled into a tree. I seriously was considering setting fire to those. The mere thought made me feel like a pyro. If I had two feet instead of four, I'd probably manically laugh right about now.

Leah closed her jaws on the loose skin behind my neck and shook. Even if the human in me had no freaking clue what this was supposed to mean, the wolf in me (much to my dismay) did. And it was angry. Making me angry. It was a quick and lovely process that made me worry for my health. I'm pretty sure letting your spirit animal dominate wasn't part of the La Push shapeshifter protocol.

I detached myself from her incisors in a blindingly quick move that probably would've given me a head rush if I thought about it, and crouched down---ready to attack. Leah lolled her head to one side and narrowed her eyes, giving me a "don't even think about it" expression. I didn't get it. I can't usually read human emotions (at least accurately), but apparently fate thinks it's hilarious fun to make me a pro at figuring out animal ones. How twisted is that?

My nose flared as I tried to strategize. Leah's main objective was keeping me from the Cullens (not that I could go there anyway) and she was going to do anything to stop me. So what the hell was I fighting for? I gritted my teeth and let off a low growl as my subconscious began nagging at me to eliminate the threat. But Leah wasn't a threat. _But she is_, some random voice in my head told me.

It was then when I concluded that I just might be crazy. There _was _a slight possibility. While I argued with aliens, Leah stalked me until she was blocking the route to the mansion. The smug expression on her furry face told me everything. My wolf immediately created plans to "dominate the creature." A small part of me wondered if they would actually work---I mean, let's face it. My human ones that I thought up _sucked_.

I---my rational side anyway---on the other hand know when I'm beat. Admittingly, I was slightly bigger than Leah, but her senses were more tuned than mine. I may as well be a bumbling newbie.

She disappeared in the bushes for like a millisecond and reappeared in a blue sundress that looked like it had been dragged in the dirt a couple of times. Which, now that I think of it, was most likely the case. A flimsy piece of leather isn't going to do much for my clothing style. Oh well. Although Sam believes otherwise, I wasn't much of a material person.

Leah glowered at me before saying, "You have crappy listening skills." More like my wolf did…okay, and me, but--- "Just letting you know, you're not off the hook. When you phase back, Sam _and _Jacob are gonna kick your ass. I suggest you stay wolf as long as you can."

_Personally, I didn't think I had much of an option, but thanks for the __**very **__helpful advice, Leah. Like I hadn't figured that out already, _I thought to myself, wishing I could master the art of telepathy. Scratch that, then I'd be like Mind Raper. And god knows how annoying that creeper is.

Leah babbled on, assuming I had been trying to attentively listen. Hehe, whoops.

"…he's got a weakness for you, you know. Sam. Hate him all you want, but I think he's secretly glad to have a cousin. Even if it is you---the total opposite of him." She said bitterly. Leah grabbed my collar and yanked me to the ground. I yapped at the sudden pain, but obliged. "I bet that's why you have like no control. It's like he sucked it from you---it's not natural for somebody to be so damn calm."

Interesting notion. I hadn't really had the _time _to think about why everything was the way it was. I'd figured that _that_ had gotten out of my reach when I exploded into a furry animal. But hey, maybe fate has a little more to throw at me. Already I had to deal with my dad's obsession with the she-devil, post vampire trauma, and oh yeah, my changing into a different species. Can't forget to mention that little detail. Then there's Embry and Seth to add. My life was just peachy. Unlike Leah, I didn't really _want _to know why I was messed up. Let's just say I wanted to keep it, oh I don't know, a surprise.

Something to look forward to.

Not.

"I know you want to see Seth 'cause you're his imprint and all," she said, her dark eyes slightly softer. "But just wait till you phase back. It's not like he's gonna go anywhere. He's already asked about you enough where I think my ears are going to bleed," Leah joked. It made me feel worse. I _needed _to see him, but the smell…What a crappy excuse compared to what he went through for me. I was the worst imprint. If anything, I didn't deserve him.

Oh Christ, I was going down the pity road again. Damn. It was too easy. I seriously had to dump this angsty werewolf shit and get back into the game. Why was it so bloody hard?

"…he'll be fine in a few days. Sam's asking him to stay away from you. Stupid, but I see his point. You don't need imprinting drama right now…"

I tuned out her voice and tried to phase back again. It didn't work. Leah then decided to entertain me while I buried myself in doom and gloom. "Have you ever seen a wolf on crack? It was---"

She amazes me sometimes. It makes me feel happy that I'm not the only freak in the world.

* * *

_How'd you phase back then if you think you're all so high and mighty? _I shouted into Sam's head. I was bored out of my flipping mind and he was acting like my dad. Speaking of which, I had heard my father numerous times pound on my cousin's door into the night demanding to see me, threatening to call the police etc. Each time I attempted to meet him and each time I was thwarted by the stupid ass I was related to. Safe to say, Sam was not in my good books. He told my dad that I wasn't _safe _enough to be around and he could see me when I phased back. At first, my father yelled at Sam for feeding him bullshit, but now, he had finally accepted the fact and was just begging to see his daughter.

The bastard laid an injunction on me to shut it after I howled for hours on after my dad grudgingly left one time. I did it mostly because I actually _missed _my drama king of a father, and okay, partly because I was trying to piss off my cousin. I was doing what all evil relatives forced into pack slavery would do---try and get under Sam's skin.

And it worked. I had what? Ten current orders against me now? The best part was finding ways around them. Like going to the Cullen house---I now officially could get to the trees without feeling the wrath of the Alpha on me.

_You think I'm unfair_, he stated, listening to me rattle on about my victories to myself.

_Is that a question? _

_It's for your own good, _he thought to me. I guess if I _really _wanted to see things from his perspective, I could understand why he did certain things. But what was the fun in that? He was a scapegoat in my misery and I was going to keep it that way, dammit.

Our conversation together fell silent and all I could hear was the buzzing of his thoughts. Contrary to many beliefs, everyone's minds do _not _think alike. When Sam wasn't concentrating on communicating to people, he thought in colorful emotions. Right now, a hue of yellows and purples were popping like bubbles. I wondered what listening to everyone else would be like…

_Leah. _He mumbled out of the blue. I froze, my raised foot falling to the ground. What did he just say? I could see him pace around the mossy trees, pausing only to answer. _I phased back thinking of Leah_.

That was almost…human. Maybe Sam wasn't a robot after all. He huffed and began tracking for deer, clearly irritated at my inapt response. _Does she know? _

_No._

The reply hit me as hard as bricks and my hackles slowly lowered. He kept the one thing from Leah that might've let her actually forgive him. Of course. She had thought that he didn't care for her, that all his actions _pre-Emily _weren't genuine. Even after learning about imprinting, she still seemed carry this burden of knowledge.

Sam hurt her. Badly.

_I know, Tala. She __**was **__in my pack for nearly a year. _His pained voice echoed in my mind. _And she wouldn't have believed me anyway. _Probably not, but still...

I felt extremely enlightened. This secret was going to last me till next week. I mean, it was already a Saturday. Sam had decided training was today (oh so much fun) and had been trying to help me shift back. Yeah right. Whatever, it was a nice change from hearing about the baby. Don't get me wrong, I had never seen the kid thanks to well, me being a wolf, and already felt a sisterly bond, but it got on your nerves after awhile. The only exciting part was when Braedon peed on Sam's face. Now _that_ was brilliant.

I had to hand it to the baby, he picked the most opportune times.

During the day, I had practically nothing to do. Sam had let the other guys have a nice little break from the patrols considering I was out here 24/7. It wasn't like they were missing much. The Dracula radar was zero at the moment. And oh, the bunny killer was on the move again. I think I hunted all the poor rabbits in the area. And their relatives. What can I say? When you're hungry, you're hungry. I tried to let my wolf take over at those times---I was never really one for blood and gore.

It was becoming very apparent that it didn't like to be summoned. I swear, it was like the thing had a mind of its own.

_Aren't you happy that you're missing school? _I found it humorous that the great Sam Uley didn't think much of the educational system. Oh I'm sure he had at some point in his life considering he had gotten a full ride scholarship to a nationally ranked college, but now all he knew was the pack. It was always the pack this, the pack that, and a lot of 'we're all brothers and sisters' junk. It was like he was a freaking hippy. Next thing you know, Sam would be giving me the peace sign and go all liberal on me.

_Yeah. Now I don't have to do that stupid English assignment. _

_The one with Seth? _

_Mmm-hmm_, I thought, eyeing a burrowing hole. Score.

_Your teacher wants you to make that up when you get recover from your mono. _Excuse me, what? This was new information. And here I was naively thinking that I had managed to get off the hook.

_The evil hag. I knew she hated me. _

_You overact_, he informed me. The hypocrite. _I _overreact? Me? Compared to him? I felt insulted. _Jared's coming to train you. Don't bite his head off, 'kay? I need to be with Em without worrying that you'll run off to Portland again._

_That wasn't my fault. _

_You lost control. It __**was **__your fault. _Très harsh. Jeez, as if he couldn't get any more blunt. I had been successfully avoiding the topic of exactly _why _the foreign thing in me had been able to override me that day the whole week. I wasn't planning on confronting it now. I didn't want to. I hated the fact that I was a freaking beast---especially a wolf. I'd rather turn into a cat (okay, major lie) or even a horse. It was coming to a point where I couldn't stand it and Sam would have to intervene. That's probably why I couldn't phase back. 'Cause I was too chicken to look fate in the face and tell it that it could do whatever it bloody well liked and I'd still win.

We all knew that _that _was so not going to happen.

* * *

"For newborns, you can't go for the obvious kill---they'll be expecting that. And don't let them get their arms around you. They'll crush you. And attack them from the side and keep moving they'll---" Blah blah blah. Jared continued on while I gazed off in the distance, my amber eyes totally glazed over.

Screw training---I was no lap dog. And Jarebear was doing an excellent job on feeding my imagination. If I tried hard enough, I could completely block him out. At first, he'd tested my control by taunting me. Apparently I'd gotten even worse marks than Paul, joy to the world. Then, he watched me hunt so he could figure out where I was on the whole biting spectrum. The pack had this deal where the best fighter could rip out the most of the bloodsucker. Now I had the honors of biting off the right foot---yay me. Always was the tastiest morsel. Oh, and we _tried _going by the Cullens for me to get used to the smell (like that's not weird), but Sam's freaking restriction stopped me two miles off as usual.

During all three days of this, I was utterly miserable. I missed my dad. I missed my normal routine. And most of all, I missed Seth. I _still _wasn't allowed to see him, and I was seriously starting to feel physical pain. Lately I'd been getting these massively huge headaches that would last for hours on end---they were sadly mistaken when they said that pain wasn't possible for mythical creatures who could heal faster than mitosis.

Sam was confounded. I was annoyed. I told him this was a sign from the gods that I needed to be near Seth. He said I needed to quit praying to random deities.

I prayed anyway.

It was the Wednesday after when I realized I was going to be stuck like this forever. I had been alone, lying under a tree when the thought hit me. Okay, fine. I was wallowing in self pity as usual. I didn't even worry about having clothes around anymore---I mean, I had some stashed just in case, but …oh great, now I was remembering that talk with Sam. The food I just had threatened to come up again. It had gone something like this:

* * *

_**Earlier...**_

_You'll have speed, freedom, strength, and a new family_. Sam sounded more like an instruction pamphlet than an actual being. Hence, me thinking he was a robot.

_What about side effects? _I thought, always the pessimistic one.

_Pack mind, immaturity, slight nudity, and ripped clothes, _Sam rushed out. Back up. Slight nudity? If he was human, he would've blushed right then and there.

_We try to be a private as possible when we phase, but since we can see uhh __**really **__well, sometimes umm the boys glimpse things that they probably shouldn't have…seen. _I'm surprised he could say that with a straight face.

_So you're saying they've caught Leah naked before. _

The black wolf in front of me whined. _Tala, _his voice was strained, _some of us are…sexually active and we think things while on patrol…and…they've seen __**more **__than Leah naked. _

Oh god. I _really _didn't want to hear what was coming up next. Sam braved on, his confidence quickly plummeting. _They've seen Kim, Rachel, Emily, and a few other people as well. _

_Doing it?! _I shrieked. And with that, his thoughts went haywire.

I ran.

* * *

It was my fault, really. I had forgotten about how _extensive _the pack mind was. Safe to say, I hadn't been able to look at Sam straight in the face for the rest of the day. I kept getting images from him (apparently when it starts you can't stop it much to the horror of both of us) and well, I pretty much wanted to murder my perverted cousin. He was definitely at the top of my hit list.

All of a sudden, I heard a rustle from the bushes and my nose caught the scent of a nice and juicy squirrel. My mouth watered---it had been nearly sixty minutes since my last catch. Stupid appetite. I ate like the pigs. Ah whatever, my stomach was grumbling and I wasn't going to deny it satisfaction. I stilled, waiting as the animal got closer and closer. It didn't notice me at first which wasn't much of a shock. I was now an experienced hunter.

My tail straightened as I kept my eyes on the prize. I felt like I was in an Olympic race and the timer was about to go off. Almost there…shit. The beady eyes caught sight of mine and the beast scrammed. I raced after it, ignoring all the other wildlife. I _was _going to catch it and eat it.

It _was _mine. Its seconds were numbered.

But dammit, that thing was _fast_. I think it had eaten a radioactive nut or something 'cause even my carefully timed werewolf speed (didn't want to run the stupid thing over) wasn't doing the trick. I took a deep breath and grudgingly let that nagging voice in my head dominate. If I didn't, I would lose my prey. And that sucks when you're a wolf that starves every half hour.

I was finally accepting my wolf part of me so I could catch a demented squirrel.

How freaking random.

The puny little animal squeaked and darted up a tree. I didn't have enough time to brake, and my body collided with the rough bark. If I was in a cartoon, I'd have question marks and little squirrels circling my head.

I wished that I was human again. And _abracadabra_, it was granted. Just like that.

Kidding.

I groaned and just lay there, not wanting to get up. Since subliminal wish fulfilling was now obviously out, I let my mind wander so I could picture the exact moment I'd see my dad again. And Seth. And even _Nick_. His annoying voice at least filled up the silence before.

Suddenly, my shaking resided and I felt calm for the first time in days. And then, my body produced a miracle (no, not a screaming infant). It _changed_. Feeling my bones get realigned once more felt like absolute hell, but I wasn't complaining.

I had finally phased back.

* * *

**Okay, I **_**know **_**you guys want to murder me for no Tala/Seth action. But I really don't want to rush it. I want to make it just perfect. Or attempt to, anyway. I'm iffy about this chapter—it's not my favorite, but then again, who knows? As you probably can tell, Tala has more "wolf" in her than most. It was a route that I wanted to explore (Jacob got me thinking about it when he was like "I phase faster" in NM?) …so it's a bit different than what you might be used to. And yeah, sorry folks, as you can see, she's not gonna immediately be in control like Miss Bella in BD. She shifted back, but that doesn't mean she's going to keep her temper. **

**Well, I'm off to Galveston to do who knows what for the rest of the week--- which is why I wanted to get this out beforehand. I am going to die during the car ride tomorrow. You all are incredible. I mean, seriously, 700 reviews? I feel lucky and extremely guilty for not having this up earlier. All mistakes are my own. I will most likely edit this like a kazillion times after I upload as usual. **

…**so, uhh what did you think? **


	28. The New Goddamn Tourist Attraction

**This shall be dedicated to all those unlucky enough to have to go back to school---I am among you. –sad sigh- I am going to try to get more consistent in writing/updating though this year. We'll see how long **_**that **_**lasts ;D Thanks for all the encouragement; you guys are amazing as usual. Oh yeah, Tala's "wolf" get's a part now…you can see what it's like when she's not in there. It'll be the third person that's parted off from everything else. Enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only sarcastic Tala and her secretive dad. And Nick. And all the other names you don't recognize. **

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

* * *

_I groaned and just lay there, not wanting to get up. Since subliminal wish fulfilling was now obviously out, I let my mind wander so I could picture the exact moment I'd see my dad again. And Seth. And even __Nick__. His annoying voice at least filled up the silence before._

_Suddenly, my shaking resided and I felt calm for the first time in days. And then, my body produced a miracle (no, not a screaming infant). It __changed__. Feeling my bones get realigned once more felt like absolute hell, but I wasn't complaining._

_I had finally phased back._

* * *

My happy dance was inconveniently delayed when I realized that I had forgotten where I stashed my clothes. Smart, right? I mean, I know I had put them somewhere---or really, Leah had put them somewhere. I wasn't quite sure what exactly _they _were, but I figured she gave me a sundress or something stupid like that. Gross. My wardrobe was definitely going to get a huge makeover---doggy style.

Must. Not. Think. About. It.

_Maybe I should try tracking them? _I pondered while staring at my hands. They had _five_ fingers---I'd never felt more grateful. _How sad._ Shaking my legs to make sure they were alive and all, I noticed for the first time how much dirt was on me. Ugh, I would need to take a long shower when I got back to the house---not that it would help much. It wasn't like I was going to stay in this form for a great deal of time. Yeah, I wasn't delusional. No amount of wishing was going to make me forever be human.

Damn. So much for that dream.

I winced at how wrong that statement sounded.

Well, it wasn't as if I _knew_ that I was going to become a freak of nature. Stupid leeches. They just _had_ to rain on my parade…

What was I doing? I could totally rant about the freaking bloodsuckers later. _Then_, I'll have people to help fuel the fire. The Quileutes aren't exactly fans. Hmm. I was about three or four miles away from civilization, maybe somebody would hear me if I yelled? It made me start wondering if howling works with a human voice box. Now _that _would be fun to try. I know growling does thanks to the lovely antics of the La Push boys. What a bunch of overprotective bodybuilders. What's even worse is that I've joined their little club. Brilliant.

"I can't find my clothes. Can one of you idiots bring me some, and I swear, if you take one peek I'll flay you alive then roast your butts over a hot fire!" There, that should do it. I listened hard for a couple of minutes, but couldn't hear a thing. Jeez, what good were these superhuman powers if they didn't work? I know I was inexperienced and all, but the only things that I could pick up were the trees moving and the distant sound of gossip from the beach. Nothing even _remotely_ interesting.

What a bore.

I looked down at my naked self and started getting uncomfortable. Yeah, I totally wasn't keen on having my body displayed for the whole world to see, so sue me. Apparently Leah had been more attuned to herself before she transformed into a werewolf (what does that even mean?!)---she had informed me of the fact last week after Sam let it slip that he gave me the "talk." Lord, if I heard the word "nudity" again, I thought I'd scream.

See, unlike those two, I was actually going to have some problems with the whole 'I'm free!' image. I'm a freaking teenage girl, what do you expect? I definitely wasn't looking forward to whole seeing guys naked thing (well, 'sides one, but that's not the point), especially since it went both ways. I mean, sure, it's going to happen---they're gonna get a glimpse or something, no question about it. Just when?

I ended up hiding behind a tree, y'know, to be on the safe side. Thank god I did because the next thing I know, my sad excuse of hearing picks up a rustling about a mile away. I can tell it's a large animal, but that's about it. I sniffed the air like a person on crack. The thing (whatever "it" was) sort of smelled like lemons with an earthy undertone. I didn't know if that was good or bad. My mind automatically memorized it for future reference.

I felt extremely inhuman.

Squinting, I finally with my deformed binocular eyes saw a huge gangly wolf with a piece of leather tied around its hind leg. Definitely one of those cavemen---most likely a newbie. It was slobbering on a xxxx-large t-shirt that hung limply in its mouth. Not kidding. Switching positions to hide myself, I watched as the alien wolf came closer and closer to my spot. But who was it? I wracked my memory, but came up with nothing. Jeez, it wasn't like I sniffed every guy before I became a creature of emotion. I mean, excuse me, but my dad did teach me _some _manners.

It must've sensed me, 'cause it dropped the thing like twenty feet away, and then started running in the opposite direction. I growled (woo-hoo I'm initiated now), cursing under my breath. It just _had _to make me walk. With one cautious look around, I pitched forward and snatched the t-shirt and ran back to my hiding place. Wow, I'm such a sneaky one. I should go into the CIA.

"You finally did it. Took you what? Two and a half weeks?" an annoying voice said from behind a mossy hill. The damn piece of clothing wouldn't go over my head fast enough. Stupid shirt. Putting these things on weren't supposed to be rocket science. The fabric and I put up a good fight before I turned to face my nemesis.

Nick.

The hidden wolf in the back of my head immediately clicked the scent and the name together. Ignoring that scary part of me, I sized up the boy in front of me and grinned. This was payback time. I imitated a glazed over look and tried to fake in some love and adoration. When he saw me, his dark eyes instantly widened and his jaw swung open.

"You…you didn't…you couldn't have…"

He thought I imprinted on him.

Sweet revenge.

I continued to mimic this expression for a good two minutes until I finally cracked and started laughing my ass off. He had been like a deer-in-headlights, no joke. Nick pouted for a second and groaned, slapping his forehead at his utter stupidity.

"You're gonna regret that one day," he thought to inform me. _Yeah right. _I smirked, my body still shaking with laughter. Sadly, that was the highlight of my day. Here's a toast to the most exciting life on the rez.

"Aww, I know you missed me," I said, giving him a cheeky smile. His eyebrow rose as he assessed my mood. Yes, I wasn't in a crappy angst-ridden depression for once, hooray. That would come later. Right now, I was celebrating my life with two legs. Wow---it was like I was the freaking little mermaid. Next thing you know I'd be singing "Part of Your World."

"Sure missed the pessimism around the place; I had to poke Paul just to get some action," he whined, getting the clue that I was _not_ to be angered. Well, I think he got it, but with his amount of brain cells, I'd never know. I seriously would claw him if he made me phase. And I would remain free of conscience. My Jiminy Cricket could go bother someone else.

"Poor baby," I mocked while fidgeting in my clothes; the cotton was clinging to parts I wasn't too keen of having displayed. Next thing you know, Nick's eyes did a little too much wandering, and well, my temper sort of spiked. I mean, really, are you kidding me? Nick? In one sweet move, he was flipped on the floor and I had a triumphant foot on his stomach. Go spidey reflexes.

He blushed, his cheeks turning a russet red. I wasn't sure whether it was at the whole "let's look at my new pack sister's body" deal or the fact that I had just beaten his ass into the ground. Either way, I was slowly losing whatever calm I had.

Great. Just great.

"Sorry," he mumbled, before swiping my foot away and making me fall on my butt into the dirt. "But you need to work on your game." He gave me the cockiest grin ever and stood up, looking down on my sprawled figure.

Big mistake.

I lost it and pounced, turning wolf once more. He let out an 'uh oh' and dove behind a tree to phase. Wow, I lasted what? A whole twenty minutes? Where the hell was my placard for _Worst Phaser Ever_? The wolf in me snarled, and I ran for Nick.

Uno problemo.

You know that huge gigantic shirt? Well, it didn't burst like it was supposed to. Apparently I was a midget werewolf who had the most retarded luck in the world. I ended up fumbling and flying head first into a rock.

Not cool. Not cool at all.

Safe to say, my spirit wolf wasn't a hell of a lot happier than me either. It was ticked that it got beat by an inanimate object. I struggled out of the damn fabric once more with a vengeance. _Die stupid shirt. Die._ When I smelled the lemon scent behind me, I didn't even think. I was instantly on top of him, my teeth ripping any bare fur I could find.

_Nick, you just had to---_

_Get off me, I didn't mean it. _His mind, unlike Sam's, was not a firework madhouse, but a play-by-play of our fight. Guess who was winning? For once in my sorry life---me. It felt great. I wanted to seriously howl like the animal I was.

_Jesus, Tal. You _enjoy _hurting people? _

That did it. Red lined my vision and without warning, I accidentally gave into the nagging voice, _literally_ losing all train of thought. Whoops. The last thing I remembered was seeing Nick's surprised eyes and some swear words that would even make a sailor proud.

Honestly? I didn't know he had it in him.

* * *

_Tala. _

The cinnamon wolf shook her head, disgruntled at the foreign sound. She pulled back her ears as her tail became rigid, pointing parallel to the ground. The animal's eyes suspiciously scanned the forest, but all she saw was the enemy lying still on the ground---motionless. Snorting, the wolf went back to hunt for food. Distractions were a waste of time. A creature quickly darted up the trunk of a tree sensing the upcoming danger. It didn't matter, the prey was too small. She would find something tastier. Something more chewy.

_Not again._

The sound rang in her lupine ears and she froze---threatened. The cinnamon wolf immediately flattened her ears, her mind not processing what exactly was happening. All she knew was one thing: there would be another fight. And like the last one, she planned on winning. Suddenly, with only a moment's notice, a huge dark wolf appeared in the leafy clearing. It growled at her, its hackles bristling slightly. It wanted her to think it was more dominant; its eyes were telling the she-wolf to submit. The creature shook her head---her lip slowly curling back.

She wanted to fight.

_Don't do this. _

The animal jumped at the echoing, realizing it was coming from the other wolf. In response, she stared this "supposed" dominant down. She would not show her belly. She would not tuck her tail. The dark one coughed and came forward.

The she-wolf growled, not willing to admit defeat. Defeat meant weakness. And it did not bow to a leader, for it had no pack.

_Fine. _

With one smooth leap, the bigger of the two pinned her to the ground, promptly knocking the animal out. The match was finished.

The cinnamon-furred wolf had lost the round.

* * *

"…she beat the crap out of him…"

"…still unconscious…blow to his pride."

"…can't believe it worked…Emily gave her some clothes…"

I swatted at the buzzing in my head, wishing the voices to hell. I just wanted to sleep. Was that too much to ask for? This ground was really soft too. Usually, I had cat-naps in the tall grass by the river, and boy was it painful. Everything was always too prickly, and I could seriously feel the bugs getting in my fur. That was the worst. Knowing there are disgusting living things on you (like fleas or gnats), and not being able to do a thing about it besides making yourself miserable trying to pick them off. The life of an immortal _canus lupis. _What a trip to reality it was. The guys always fail to mention that it wasn't all fun and games. You had to hunt like an oldie, feel like a dog, and well, I'm sure you can use your imagination. It wasn't exactly pleasant for a girl. Even one who wasn't like "oh my gawd I broke a _nail_" all the time.

My heart went out to Leah. The others had no idea…

"Did she just yell at us to shut up?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna say she's conscious. Or partially at least. "

"She is so dead."

Freaking voices were getting annoying. I shouted at them in my head, hoping they would get the message. They didn't. They kept on chatting on about how much deep shit I was in and all that jazz. Seriously, I could _hear _them. What I failed to understand was why they were talking about me when they should be patrolling for leeches. It wasn't _that _hard of a job. Stupid freaking werewolves. Huffing, I finally opened my eyes to go find them when I stiffened.

I gazed at the way too familiar blue ceiling with a start.

Was it all a dream? Did I just have a flu delirium or something? Were my prayers answered and my mind just made up all that mystic legend crap?

I paused before deliberately wiggling my toes. All ten were there which meant I either had a fairy godmother who had somehow turned me back human after I lost my mind, or I was the queen of bullshit. I couldn't decide which one was better. Damn, I needed to go bathe myself in hearts and unicorns 'cause all these random thoughts were going to make me go suicidal one day.

"You're up," Sam said, coming into the room. He looked much too amused for my comfort.

Dammit to hell. I was still a freaking shapeshifter. Well, that balloon just popped. "Wha---?" I shouldn't have been human. I had never phased back. All of a sudden, my stomach dropped and I quickly assessed if I had clothes. I did. Emily shall be praised. Otherwise, I'd be permanently scarred for life. Sam seeing me in my birthday suit was not a pleasant thought.

"Your wolf has quite the attitude," he replied, pursing his lips. Bet it pissed him off quite a bit. I wanted to commend it for doing my job for me. "It had the self preservation of a squirrel. Next time I'll just knock it out when you lose it. Apparently that does wonders on your phasing back issue."

Did he mean---wait, he saw…I felt like puking. So much for being modest. My cousin had already seen me as naked as day. This meant the pack already had too. His smug face vanished into one of horror when he saw my expression.

"You…" I pointed, not able to form words.

"I wasn't going to leave you out there!"

"Why not?" I spluttered, my cheeks getting red for the first time in days. "I would've been one with nature."

"And let someone else find you?" he scoffed. "It wouldn't have changed anything."

"Shut up, Sam," I snapped. This was beyond embarrassing. He probably carried me naked back to the house. "Just leave me alone."

"Tala, it was going to happen sometime."

"Sam, not kidding. Leave." I pointed him to the door for emphasis. He seemed to consider it for a second, but remained still.

"I need you in the kitchen."

"_I need you in the kitchen_," I mimicked. "I can do whatever I damn well please, now seriously, just _go_."

"You should hear yourself," he smirked. By then, I wanted to slap him. Why couldn't he let me be? I was humiliated and wanted to seethe in silence. So what if he was the Alpha? If he hadn't phased and I _did _a few years ago, then it would've been me in charge.

"Leave me the hell alone."

Some emotion crossed his eyes, but I barely caught it. Hurt perhaps? Sam didn't do _hurt_ though. He always had the freaking mask on at all times. If I had to describe him, I'd say he was pushy, ordering---practically a dictator. It was almost as if he knew what was going through my mind, because he gives me this incredulous look and slams the door shut.

That, ladies and gentlemen, was when I realized Sam didn't always have his temper under his favorite word: control.

It made me feel powerful.

I must've glared at that bright and cheery ceiling for what might have been an hour before I called it quits. Emily was cooking and I had heard Embry come into the house. It didn't take long to put two and two together. I swung myself off the bed, wincing as I heard a mattress spring break, and raced into the kitchen. The smell of pizza was wafting in the air---I practically inhaled it. I hadn't had human food in what seemed so long. I forgot how much I missed the stuff.

"You can have the first one," Emily promised me, smiling. Her scar regally sat on her face, the battle marks of a warrior. I really didn't deserve the kindness considering I had been an ass to her husband. Not that I regretted it. Yes, some things never change. I scanned the room and didn't see the newest addition to the family. He was probably napping. Nobody said anything about it, so I kept my mouth shut. I'd congratulate Emily later.

I nodded gratefully and squared my shoulders. Time to face Embry. He was sprawled on the couch, giving me a measured look. Sam sat opposite of him in one of the stuffy armchairs, and Jake's eyes were permanently glued on the T.V. from the floor. The room instantly felt twenty times more crowded.

"Emb, I'm umm sorry about making you get ripped by the mafia," I mumbled after a few seconds of absolute hell. The necks of all three snapped to me and Jake's eyes bulged in surprise.

"An apology from the great Tala Uley? I'm impressed," he snickered, shoving god knows what into his mouth.

"S'cool. I've got the perfect payback," Embry grinned. It was sort of awkward. We didn't know whether to act as friends or brother and sister. Then I gulped at the last part---what exactly did he have in mind? The La Push guys could be kinda unpredictable. I would for sure get punishment from _all _of them---Sam, Embry, possibly even Jacob. If I had to guess, Sam would give me patrolling. And Embry and Jake would just make me do something mildly embarrassing. No biggie, right?

Wrong.

Sam went first.

"Community service," he said. "Patrolling wouldn't even be a punishment for you since you've been doing it for the last few weeks."

"Community service?! As in what? Washing the tribal elders' feet? Clapping erasers at school? Picking up trash off the beach? Scaring bullies? Spreading lies about the pack? What?"Of _course_ Sam would be all about giving back to the community. I just figured it would be the supernatural way.

"Worse," Jacob said, cracking up. "Those things are _active_." Was he seriously telling me that I would be sitting somewhere sorting crap? That was like my worst nightmare. Sitting. For hours and hours on end. Doing absolutely nothing. Definitely not my idea of fun.

"History of the La Push tribe," Sam delivered the final blow. "Alone. In a dusty library. Without moving anything but books and _smelly _old animal skins."

…really? Was he joking? That was death---I'd rather be a wolf for another two and half weeks before even touching something as remotely awful as that. And Sam knew it. Damn evil cousin. I bet he was crackling madly in his head right about now. I shouldn't have even showed emotion. I should've just taken it without question to annoy him even more.

"Can't I do something else---like tutoring?" I whined. With a kid, I could do charades or a cool activity like that even if I hated the actual _learning_ process probably as much as they did. I took a deep breath, trying hard not to phase. I _really _wanted that pizza, and I kind of wanted to be human for it.

Think happy thoughts. _Pepperoni, mozzarella, cheesy thick crust…_

"Nope," Sam replied. "Embry," he jerked his head in the direction of my half-brother, "your turn." Jacob practically choked on whatever he was eating.

"Not _here_," he said, emphasizing on the last word. "Believe me, Sam, she's gonna blow if he tells her. Maybe we should do this outside."

Wow, that sounded encouraging. Now I was _really _not looking forward to hearing the words that were about to come out of Embry's mouth.

"She'll be fine," Sam said a bit too curiously. Oh great, even he didn't know. Though I'm sure he'd add his piece in later. He always did.

"It's your furniture," Jake shot back.

"'Kay then," Embry replied, dubious at my restraint efforts. I took a deep breath. _Pepperoni, mozzarella, cheesy thick crust, pepperoni, mozzar--- _"Jake and I both came up with it…"

My mantra suddenly starting going faster. If they both made it up, then I was screwed. Royally screwed.

"You're going to work at my mom's souvenir shop."

A silence fell over the room. The words would not process through my head. Did he just say that I was to work with she-devil? He didn't. He couldn't have. "No freaking way. Your mom's a complete psycho!"

"No, she's not!" Embry defended her, the woman with the forked tail and two horns.

"Are you serious? Have you actually _seen _your mother?"

Embry fish-gaped at me. "Yeah? Well…your dad is a paranoid old guy!"

"Nice," Jacob groaned, clutching his sides because he was laughing so hard at the two of us. Sam, on the other hand, was watching me like a hawk. Jeez, he must _really _value his furniture. Then again, it was probably for the best. I was already shaking.

"So? I know my dad's that and plenty of other stupid things. At least I can admit he has issues like a _normal _human being."

"Are you saying my mom isn't normal?" Embry said, incredulous. Now _he _was starting to quiver. Jake stopped abruptly and double-checked his best friend. Wouldn't want to add a few more scratches to the sofa legs.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, my hands flying up in the air. "Now you're finally catching on."

"Man, both of you shut up. You sound like two old nannies bickering," said an incoming Quil. He took one look at the living room drama, shrugged, then sauntered into the kitchen like he owned the place.

"Well, they _are _related," Emily said quietly to herself, forgetting practically the whole house besides the baby could hear her.

That did it. My blood boiled and I seriously phased right as Sam pushed me out the front door. The clothes, tighter than before, burst into a billion floating pieces. Sorry Emily. Jacob had done the same, and my brother and I ended up having a face off. His spotted gray wolf glared at me with those dark eyes and immediately pounced. We didn't have to hear each other to know what the other person was saying.

It was war.

I bit at his flank before he caught me by the scruff of my neck and shook. Ticked, I swiped his muzzle (Embry:1 Tala:2) and he dropped me on the ground in a second. We growled, both trying to psych each other out. After a lot of false moves, we collided, head-butting over and over again. Considering he was practically a hundred pounds heavier than me in this form, and quite a few inches higher, I thought I was doing pretty well. My wolf woke up (finally) and snarled along with me. We were one person---sort of.

Somehow, Embry managed to surprise attack me from the back, and I got thrown into a pile of mud and rainwater. Quivering, I held on to my sanity (not the easiest thing in the world, let me tell you) and showed him my teeth. It was _so _on. Biting his ear, I got swung onto his back accidentally, and did a back flip. Embry started coughing, his eyes saying 'had enough?'

I went for the belly.

The boy yelped as loud as my Aunt Martha on waxing days and backed off. Success was mine to take.

But the stupid Alphas had to ruin it.

"Embry, c'mon. She's not even worth it. Fight later, I gotta go see Nessie, dude." He strode up to the gray wolf and pulled him back. Embry snapped, but after a few more seconds of urging, he followed, sending me a 'to be continued' expression before he jumped into the trees.

He only left 'cause I was winning. Chicken. Great, now that Jake and Embry were gone, that left me back in wolf form with…Sam.

Well, my day just went to the dogs. His black form appeared in front of me, and I rolled my eyes. He was so like my dad. Always one for dramatic entrances.

_He wasn't kidding. You start work with Jackie Call tomorrow. _

And the community service work? I wondered when he was planning to make me do _that_.

_It's not for a day, Tala. It's for the next three months. _

_WHAT?! Are you friggin' serious? One time is enough. _

_Deal with it, _he thought. His mind was reds and oranges. _You're going to be working in the storeroom in the back, not at the counter. It has a door and is big enough if you accidentally phase over getting a label wrong. _

_Are you mocking me? _Sam Uley---mocking me? What has the world come to?

_Jackie doesn't know about shapeshifters, so try not to get mad. _He ignored me, thinking about how much freedom he was giving me. Right, freedom. Let me go choke a reindeer. If this was freedom, then I'd _hate _to think what prison was. Wait, I already knew. Him.

_Be more original in your twisted humor, _he informed me. _It's getting old. _

_Oh, go put a stake in it. Nobody likes you. _

_Really? Your mind tells me differently. It says you actually admire me._

_Lies. _

_Denial. _He gave off a bark, bringing us back to order. _This will be a great time to practice control. So grin and bear it…if you feel like you're going to phase, and you're in front, get out immediately. _

_Yeah, like that won't be suspicious. She'll be, "Why did you run away, my precious?" And I'll be like, "'Cause you're scaring me, woman. No, just kidding. I turn into a big bad wolf like your son---hope it's cool with you if I take random lunch breaks." Who knows? After screaming, she might make me into some goddamn tourist attraction. _

_Tala, get real._

The whole punishment was a recipe for disaster, and he was telling _me _to get real? Seriously, me in that store (a newly transformed werewolf might I add) wasn't smart. At all. Either he was out of his freaking mind, or he actually hoped I'd learn something from this. I thought he was supposed to be a good Alpha, one that didn't want to hurt innocent people. If I lost control, I _would _hurt innocent people…like Nick.

_He's resting up. Your wolf gave him quite a few scratches to heal. Two even cut through to the bone. _He gave me an image and I became nauseated. What had my stupid wolf done to the perv?

_Nick's not a pervert. He's a teenage boy. What were you expecting him to do? Look away?_

_We are NOT going into this conversation again, Sam. Now, how do I phase back? _

_Concentrate. Take deep breathes. Rel---_

_Thank you, Yoda, for your inner wisdom, but that sure as hell hasn't been working out for me. _

Sam's wolf practically frowned. _Well then, think of this. Emily's got you on dish duty for the rest of the week. You owe her for what happened too…_

_Shit._

* * *

"I need the mugs to be dusted, and those posters just came ---- wait, no they come in tomorrow. Can you clear a space for them? Oh, and when you're through, can you straighten the shelves? Tala, are you even listening?" Jackie stopped talking and obnoxiously started snapping her fingers in front of my face.

Sam had _promised _me that I was going to be in the storeroom. Embry had even grumbled and finally agreed. But the stupid woman wasn't having it. She wanted her boyfriend's daughter working with the "big girls." Exact words---I wish I was kidding. All in all, it was _very _hard not to give into the quivering. And no, I didn't automatically have perfect control. I tried to drug myself with anti-depressants this morning by spiking my orange juice, sort of hoping it would affect my system somehow.

I have yet to find out if it works.

Heck, I wasn't even sure if drugs and alcohol even affected people who had a metabolism of a giant. I felt like I was constantly eating, and it was only Friday. I hadn't even gone back to school yet. Although, my reunion with dad was more than enough drama for me. I ran into his arms like the little kid I was, blamed Sam for kidnapping me, watched the best stand-off between my cousin and dad _ever, _then accidentally phased. For like the billionth time. With my dad watching.

What a happy family reunion.

Anyway, long story short, Sam told my dad that it was too dangerous for him to be in the house with me for the first month, so now I have it all to myself while my dad goes off and parties at Embry's. It was not turning out to be a good week for me. No wonder Embry's mom was singing show tunes. Two minutes ago it had been _Fame_. Oh, and did I mention my dad loves me, but is afraid of me? Great stuff, I tell you. He totally just got '_Best Father of the Year' _award.

And after all of this, I _still _hadn't seen Seth. Leah took him to Seattle to get some more clothes, telling the school board that he caught whatever I had. They wouldn't be back till this weekend.

I honestly didn't know if I could live that long.

Safe to say, I gave Jackie Call a blank look in return when she snapped her fingers in front of my eyes once more.

She sighed a 'the world is on my shoulder' sigh before repeating herself. What was I? Her slave? I guess the name "employee" is just the code word they use for it nowadays. Soon, I would be decorating and watering the plants at her every whim.

Oh wait. I already did that.

"Is there something wrong at home?" She said suddenly, a motherly concern filling her dark eyes. I shook my head, extremely irritated. Why was she asking me this when she could just get my dad to blab to her? I was probably the worst slave she had ever hired. I scared the customers with glares, I was non-responsive, and I took extremely long breaks.

And this was _only _Day Two.

If this was the real world, I would most likely be fired already for being so introverted. However, this was La Push. Jackie Call violated all the laws of business.

"I know we haven't known each other long, but I want you to know that you can have full confidence in me." Oh, great. She played the 'concerned' card. If only she knew what my life was like. I felt like laughing bitterly. Her own son was part of the 'cursed' group, and she didn't even know. Jackie should be interrogating _him_, not me---her lost lover's offspring.

I went back to sweeping. She could give me all the tasks she wanted, but I was only working as fast as a lazy-ass human. In other words, the plastic broom in my hand had _only _one speed: slow. Sam, Jacob, and Embry might have _forced _me to work here, but they didn't say I had to do it _well_. I made a slight grin behind my hand, sweeping with another achingly sluggish move.

"You almost done?" She called out from behind the counter after five minutes. I inwardly groaned---this woman seriously must think I'm Superman or something. Even though I kinda sorta was with all these new cool powers and all. Not that I was going to show them to her… I scowled, turning around to face the woman. She stood in the aisle, her small mouth drawn in a tight line.

"Tala, you finished?" She questioned me again, probably thinking that I was mentally retarded now. Whatever, she could think what she wanted. The worse, the better. Maybe if I scared her enough, she'd get off my back. One can only hope… I gave her a laconic nod, but went back to sweeping dust particles off the cedar floor anyway.

She ignored my rudeness and continued to blabber away. Finally she got to the point. "I really like your dad." Oh, Christ. Please help me. "He's handsome, charming, sensitive---"

"Awesome," I mocked under my breath, bending down to empty the dust pan into the trash. She exhaled noisily, probably disappointed that I wasn't more of a flamboyant employee like my predecessor. Or a flamboyant gossiper. Yeah, no girl wanted to hear how 'sexily charming' her father is. I don't care what self-discovery book Jackie picked up.

Crap, I was about to lose it. I dropped the broom, darting for the door.

I ended up staying out there for thirty minutes after I barely had enough time to jump out of my clothes and the navy smock with the generic "Sally" name tag on it. It was partly because I wanted to yank my hair out when I was around Embry's mom, and partly because I was bored out of my mind. I would have been a wolf longer if it wasn't for my cousin. He kept getting ticked that I wasn't getting my "full punishment."

_Sam, I can't phase back. _I had this problem every time I lost it---which was a lot. The bone wrenching feeling I got whenever I changed was still awful, but I was sadly getting used to it after being drilled for the last three days. (Apparently when you shift back for the first time, unless you're mentally deficient, you'll be able to do the whole process again. Goody.) Nobody needed to provoke me to phase like they had to with the other werewolves. I was unstable enough to do it myself. Depressing, but completely true.

_Do what you did last time._ He had ceased trying to telling me to relax considering I never listened.

_I don't _remember _what I did last time, genius. _

_You thought of Seth and your family, remember?_

_Right. _Seth…I missed his laugh, his huge goofy smile, his inky black hair, his friendliness---

_Are you sure you both are friends?_

_Yes. I don't think of him like _that. Okay, I did a tiny bit. Guilty as charged. But I _really _don't need a 'lover' whatsit right now. I just needed a friend. A person that could help me stay calm and deal with the maniac in that tourist shop, pending community service jobs, and my life in general. Seth fit the quota perfectly.

_You're afraid of imprinting, _Sam thought with a laugh, listening into my stream-of-consciousness for a little longer.

_Am not! I probably won't even imprint. For all we know, it's a one-sided thing. _I buried my nose in my clothes, trying to see if my cell phone was still intact. _What's it like though? _

Sam's emotions went all over the place, and I felt love, devotion, and some other things I didn't understand.

_In words, please. _I added. I didn't feel like playing 'Jeopardy with Sam.'

_It's like gravity shifts, umm, it's hard to explain. You know when you know. You'll be anything for that person, _Sam stumbled. I think he was more surprised by the question really than anything. Usually, he just showed everyone. He never really had to embellish---the answer was already understood.

I moaned. _Dammit, Sam, this isn't Catch Phrase. Spit it out already! _

_Tala, you'll see when it happens. If it happens. Phase back, I hear __her __calling you. _

And he thinks that _he's _enlightened.

Some people are just so close-minded.

* * *

"Put the broom down, I'm sure those floors have had enough," Jackie said jokingly, but there was a definite command behind her words. I had an urge to roll my eyes. It was Sunday morning, bright and early. Yippee. I could literally feel that happiness swelling up inside of me. "I need you to stock the shelves with the new arrivals in the back, and after---"

"What about the dusting?" I blurted out without thinking. Her eyes widened in surprise. I had blown my "I don't give a shit" status. Crap. I mentally wanted to slap myself. She quickly shook it off, telling me that I could do all the rest of that stuff tomorrow after school. Fat chance---she would give me some other randomness to attend to and the job wouldn't be done for weeks knowing her.

Whatever.

As I was about to head towards the back to get the shipments, she swiveled around from stacking the sardines. "I have to leave for an appointment. Can you handle the store for an hour?"

I shrugged. How bad could a bunch of tourists be?

Why oh why do I always contradict myself?

Jackie left and almost immediately a group of giggly little girls came in, obviously not from around here.

"How," one said to me, her hand rose up in greeting. Oh, Christ. What did they think we were? Unintelligent beings who called one another Squanto?

"Out," I jerked my finger towards the door. I was _not _dealing with this crap. I _couldn't _deal with this crap. If I did, those girls would be shredded and my wolf would be on the loose. They grumbled, bought some sunscreen (weird, considering we live in the rainiest place _ever_) while enduring my wrath, and left.

A job well done in my opinion.

Next, I had to deal with some obnoxious French-speaking Canadians who seemed obsessed with taking their pictures in front of _everything_.

"Où l'océan est?"

"What?" I said, my face in disbelief. All I got was ocean, and if they were asking where the ocean was, they seriously had issues. I sniffed the air and sighed. Yep, they were definitely on something. _We got some high Frenchies in the house, people._

"Vendez-vous des appareils photo?" The smaller one asked.

"_Excuse me?" _My voice seriously got an octave higher. What were they freaking saying? "I speak English," I said as slowly as I could. I knew that English sort of sounded fast in other people's ears, so I tried to make it where they might be able to understand me.

They didn't. I lost the customers.

Oh well, it wasn't my fault. I speak only one language, and that's English. I mean, damn, we live in America. What was Jackie expecting me to be? Trilingual?

After a hippie, a family of twelve, a thimble-drummer, and a thief came in, I was beat. My patience was waning and I had already almost phased two times. What stopped me? The thought that in five minutes, no matter what, I was free, with or without Embry's mom. My shift would officially be over.

I bent under the counter in attempts to fix the ancient receipt machine when somebody came into the store. They didn't say anything, so I assumed they were browsing around. Well, it wasn't like _I _was going to bother them. Maybe they wouldn't buy something and then leave without me ever having to deal with them. Now that would be great.

"Damn," I hissed as I cut my finger on some scissors. I nearly hit my head on the counter when the wound closed up right in front of my eyes. Right. Healing powers. I had forgotten about those stupid unnatural things. I took a deep breath and froze.

The scent---it was familiar. Somebody I knew. My wolf immediately analyzed it and nearly jolted. This time I did hit my head on the marbled counter. I cursed loudly and fell on my butt, my name tag falling off completely.

"Hey, you okay?" said the most reassuring voice I'd ever heard. He was laughing. All of the sudden, I didn't want to greet the customer. I knew _exactly_ who it was. What if the thing that I was talking about with Sam didn't happen? What I _un­_-imprinted? What if I didn't want to be tied to someone forever? (Okay, total lie, but still…)

What if fate tried messing with me again?

I admit it, I was scared.

"Yeah," I said, shaking---not trusting myself to stare anywhere but the floor.

A warm hand touched my face, brushing away a strand of hair. "You sure?" I could tell he was smiling---either from my moment of idiocy or his sudden cockiness, I didn't know.

Then it hit me. He was _daring _me to look up. Seth Clearwater was as full as adrenaline as I was.

You know what? Screw fate.

My tawny eyes suddenly met his chocolate ones, and my world literally stopped moving.

* * *

**Told you Seth was going to be in this one ;D I tried to get the right amount of effect on the last sentence, so hopefully it all turns out okay. More details next chapter. For those of you not sure if she imprinted or not, take a guess, hehe. I've been staring at this document for the past four hours---and it's long. (Technically it was supposed to be up earlier this morning...) Sam, by the way, knows what he is doing when he sends Tala into that store. Sadly, he's not crazy. Well, maybe a little bit. So, what did you think? Loved it? Hated it? I'm seriously curious. Drop me a review. Although I take incredibly ridiculous amounts of time updating, I **_**do **_**read them and respond. They encourage me to get my butt working on the next chapter. **

**I beta myself, so all mistakes are sadly my own. And I'm tired, so I am so sorry about random missing phrases if there are any. **

…**feedback? **


	29. This Is Some Freaky Werewolf Love Magic

**(crawls away from the torches and pitch forks) I'm awful, I know. Four months. **

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed and/or reminded me to get my butt working on this. Believe me, it **_**did **_**help. You all get Seth hugs! Let's just hope it doesn't turn out being a huge writing disaster –fingers crossed- Quick recap for all those who have cobwebs in their brains: Seth's back in the picture and Tala may or may not have imprinted on him. 'Kay, finished -- go read.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only all the ones you don't recognize. Like Tala. **

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

* * *

_Then it hit me. He was __daring __me to look up. Seth Clearwater was as full as adrenaline as I was._

_You know what? Screw fate._

_My tawny eyes suddenly met his chocolate ones, and my world literally stopped moving._

* * *

Poetry has never been my strongest subject in school. It's stupid and completely irrelevant to my life. Hell, anybody could be a poet. Credentials? Be able to make up useless crap and find non-existent meanings in a block of text. Reminds me too much of my English class, and god knows how much misery I get from _that_.

So, when I looked into Seth's eyes for the first time in days, I couldn't do it. I could not make up a ton of boring, overused adjectives to describe what I felt like. This feeling, whatever it was, was above that. It left me speechless for once in my life. Now I understood why Sam was not able to put it into words. It just wasn't possible.

I saw my past, present, and future in those dark bottomless orbs of chocolate. I felt the anxiety, the pain, and the relief he'd been through because of me. I felt the love he had for me--- not lust, not utter passion, but innocent love that was itching to be something more.

Yep, this totally beats the Texas Giant at Six Flags.

I'd always assumed the imprint deal was supposed to make a shapeshifter fall madly in love with a poor soul, taking away their free will and thoughts of a future. I was wrong. Dead wrong. So wrong that Seth would probably take it as offense if I ever decided to tell him. In my defense, it's not as if I'd been well informed or anything. I mean, hello, I am cousin to the most enigmatic alpha ever---not that I have many to compare him to. Anyway, imprinting didn't make me fall heads over heels and say 'Ohmigawd I need to jump this boy right now', but it _did _make damn sure that I knew Seth was 'The One.' That stupid bond between us snapped tight, never to be broken or messed with again. In fact, I'm pretty sure it doubled just to mock me even more, making sure I could never think about getting out of this.

I would _never_ be able to escape from the fact the Seth was my other half, my soul mate.

We were meant for one another.

And that, ladies and gents, scared the hell out of me. It was so final, practically set in stone. Imprinting I might be able to pretend to ignore…double imprinting was a completely different ball park. A new set of rules that I hadn't yet learned.

I got the reasoning behind it, I mean, had been played a lucky card (probably making up for all the freaking werewolf shit I was head deep in now), and was given Seth. Not that I'd taken notice or anything, I'm a born pessimist. It's not like our history isn't jacked up. First, I'd been thrilled that I could sort of kind of talk to a guy who actually liked me. Then, he turned out to be a mythical creature who had supernaturally "imprinted" on me, and who also coincidentally took the same shape as my mother's killer whenever his furry butt pleased. Who can blame me for balking? I, of course, ignored him and got both of us stuck in an endless depression mode. Everything I guess really started back up when I'd sort of kind of accepted the fact that I couldn't stay away from this mysterious stomach tugging feeling. The guy upstairs wasn't going to let me ruin the one good thing in my life.

…But now all this werewolf heritage love magic (let's say that three hundred times) happened, and I have absolutely no idea where Seth and I are. Yes, I imprinted. Yes, my future's tied with his. But what now? What the hell is the protocol for this? Nobody's ever had a double imprint. I didn't know whether to mimic the other wolf girls and become a crazed passion-loving lunatic or a paranoid freak. If fate didn't have the reigns of our messed-up _colorful _relationship before, it sure as hell did now.

It always has to win, dammit.

Oh god, I'm going to become one of those bimbos who spurt cheese fests of corniness every two seconds. Kill me now.

By this time, I was half-expecting to hear trumpets and music blaring in the background (or a sad funeral march, you choose) as I continued to stare at the Adonis in front of me. I was sadly disappointed. No, instead, I got the pleasure of hearing the store phone ring obnoxiously, knocking me momentarily out of my daze.

I can only _guess _who that was.

Stupid woman has to ruin everything.

"Hello?" I said, my voice extremely shaky.

"Tala?" Seriously, who else would it be? I'm her only employee working at this time. "Sorry, my appointment went late, can you just lock the door on your way out? I'll come and clear up, but --- did you finish stacking?"

"Stacking?" I swear she never mentioned stacking. Or did she? My brain was obviously not able to function right now. I mean, I'd freaking had a life changing moment here. Whatever, she and her stacking could go die. It's not as if it mattered. I would do it later if it was just _so _important.

"Never mind," Jackie Call huffed. "I'll see you right after school tomorrow."

"Goody," I said with as much fake enthusiasm as I could muster before slamming the phone down. I think I might've done it a wee bit too hard 'cause some of the plastic fell off. My bad. I turned to Seth, but he wasn't looking at me anymore, he was watching the windows five feet away, seemingly deep in thought.

Yeah right. This was Seth we were talking about here. His mind was usually centered around food, talking, and possibly me, but I wasn't going to flatter myself. It could be anything.

"It happened again," he muttered under his breath. I froze, my hand halfway reached out to do what? What was I _supposed_ to do? Hug him, kiss him, none of the above? Where were we? What were we? Acquaintances? Friends?

I nearly laughed to myself. There was no way in hell Seth and I could ever be _just _friends, my imprinting made sure of that. But damn, I was going to try. I was going to fight this freaky random pull in the pit of my stomach. Yes, I cared for him, loved him even. I did before he even came into this store. However, I was not _in _love with him. Not yet. Not now. Or was I?

I wanted to throw something against a wall. This sucked. I hated being like this. I hated feeling weakness.

"What?" I sounded so lost, so completely out of it. So vulnerable.

Shit.

He strode purposely for me, his head practically hitting the ceiling. And, without any warning at all, he picked me up from over the counter, and hugged me, Hugged me so hard I felt like I couldn't breathe, and jeez, I was a freaking shapeshifter. Miss Unbreakable. What was Seth planning to do? Smother me?

"I missed you," he whispered into my ear. Okay, I take that back. He could smother me all he wanted. 'Cause I missed him too. A lot. I hugged him back with all that I had, feeling the ball of warmth surround me. It was the first time I'd felt safe and normal in so long. And whole. I could be like this all day, and be content.

And yes, it felt _that_ good. Not in a gross out make-up lovey dove kind of way, but in a sweet platonic _friendship _sort of way. Or maybe I'm just in denial. That could be it---I'm good at that particular feeling.

"Sorry," was all I could reply. I meant it too. I was sorry for all the crap I had given him, the stuff he had to go through because of me, everything. It probably wasn't enough, but it was all I had. He laid his cheek on the top of my head and sighed. This weird nagging feeling wanted me to say something else, but I held it in. I wasn't going to let this imprint deal change anything between us---well, 'sides the fact that we were back together _as friends_. Must. Repeat. Friends, friends, friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

Friends.

"Sorry I wasn't there for you," he mumbled, making the hairs on my neck rise. Was he seriously kidding me? I unwrapped myself and looked him square in the eye.

"Seth, shut it. I nearly got you killed by the freaking leeches and _you're _the one who's apologizing?" I shook my head. "That's so messed up."

He made some weird throat sound, trying to find some way to justify his claim. Haha, sorry buddy. That's not possible. My stupidity is too legendary for your skills. "Well, if I had stayed with you when you got sick, none of this would have happened in the first place."

Yeah, sure. In his wildest dreams. Even _he _wouldn't have stopped me from going to that stupid mafia meeting. Better yet, I probably would have convinced him to go with me, and then both of our asses would have been pummeled into trees. Or better yet, shipped to Italy for the experimenting games. It was pure luck that he didn't stay with me. If he did, I can't say with extreme confidence that both of us would still be alive right now.

"Not true," I managed to choke out, not wanting to think of what _could _have been our futures. Visions of both of us stuck in cages ran through my mind. I felt like puking. It was worse than what might be in my future right now. He mistook my expression for god knows what and shoved the postcard rack till it twirled like a merry-go-round.

"This _is_ my entire fault," he said, his nostrils flaring up. "If I hadn't imprinted on you, you would have just gone back to Texas. Now you've phased into something you hate."

"Seth," I interrupted his rant, for once in my life attempting to be the rational one. What a joke. "Nothing would have---" The idiot didn't listen to me. Instead, he went even further.

"And you're also forced to love me too! I wanted it to happen naturally, but now you've imprinted, and have no choice but to be with me."

I wanted to slap that damn werewolf to Timbuktu. (I know, perfect example of a true imprint bond.) A) I, Tala Uley, could not be forced into _anything_…well, other than 'werewolfdom,' but whatever. B) It's not like I didn't want to be with him before. And C) What the hell? I still had free will here; I could shun him if I wanted to. It would hurt my entire being, but hey, I'd do it. Just to spite them all.

Anyway, I was already going to try to resist this stupid bond. Not him – the bond. Why? Because I'm a flipping scaredy cat_. _This is completely new terrain, and I wasn't going to jump right into it, not again. I did _not _want a repeat of our first go at this insane imprinting idea, especially with the new twist. Neither of our hearts would be able to handle a second round of all that drama.

Seth knows me though. Did he seriously doubt my abilities of restraint that much?

I reckoned it would probably be the time for me to silence him with a 'Can it and kiss me fool' line like in the movies all considering, but I don't roll like that. I was getting too angry to think. Seth had just given my wolf a perfect opportunity to manifest. Brilliant. _Exactly _what I wanted to do on my agenda after imprinting on my soul mate.

"You _are _going to see a whole new side of me if you keep this up," I gritted my teeth, wanting to just clog my ears. I had to keep my cool--I did not want to completely ruin a perfectly good moment here. Seth's mouth instantly closed, and the fury drained from his face.

"I---"

"Don't you dare tell me that you're sorry again, Seth Clearwater," I hissed. Ugh, I could already feel the waves of pain roll down my legs. Must. Stay. Calm. I closed my eyes, fighting the red. Suddenly, Seth's body covered mine once more in a huge ass-kicking hug and everything melted away. I kid you not. I was probably experiencing yet another miracle. I guess people aren't kidding when they say love makes the world go 'round. I vowed right then and there that on the next "Free Hugs" day, I'd surprise an innocent stranger and make their day. I thought about hugging one of those annoying little girls and grimaced. Erm, I take that back---I'd probably scare someone. Maybe I'll just _telepathically _hug them.

Yeah, sounds good to me.

Instant win for everyone.

"That was random," was the first thing that popped out my mouth.

He shrugged. "It was all I could think of doing---instant reaction, y'know?"

"Yeah," I said, and then suddenly grinned. "My wolf would have beaten you to the ground anyway. You should have seen Nick. It totally butchered him." Not that I was proud of the fact or anything---the thought kind of sickened me. However, for boasting purposes, it would suffice.

"Sure Tal, whatever," he smiled as if I wouldn't be able to take him on. Granted, if he were Sam, Jacob, or possibly even Paul, I'd see his point, but sadly he wasn't. Therefore, he automatically went into the "to challenge" category. Like Embry. Something was tugging at the corners of his mouth though, and it wasn't bravado. Considering I'm probably the worst human emotion scanner, I wasn't about to jump to conclusions, but it seemed like he was trying to be careful. Treading water as some would call it. I didn't blame him, my sudden 'bipolarness' was enough for anyone to take extra measures.

"You didn't make me become like this," I flat out told him. I had been trying to tell him before during his little rant, but of course, that hadn't worked out too well. "Just me visiting La Push set them off. If I had gone back to Texas, I still would have phased." The mere thought wasn't exactly comforting. I'd definitely rather be with the two packs up in Nowheresville than down terrorizing the suburbs.

"Are _you_ okay with it?" He asked tentatively. I knew he loved it, being a creature of emotion. The super strength, speed, and hearing were only perks compared to being a protector of the tribe. I would be a hypocrite if I said that I liked it. Personally, I _hated _being this mythical creature. It was the bane of my existence. The reason that I even had a freaking alive wolf spirit in me was because I didn't want to master it. I never asked for this. But could I do anything about it? No. My whole life from now on would be regulated by mood swings---like a hormonal girl on crack.

So not my dream ending.

What do I say to him? What do I say to _that_? I didn't want to lie to Seth, but the hope in that face was almost heartbreaking. He wanted me to like it, to accept it like he did. Then everything would be in balance, and the two of us could roam free for all existence in perpetual happiness.

What a load of crap. A complete fairy tale. Although desirable, extremely unrealistic. I said the only thing that my mind could think of.

"Let's go."

Access denied. He snorted and moved away from me so I'd have the brain waves to close up. How thoughtful. I mumbled a few curses as I tried to pry open the cash register. After a good yank, it listened to me. Finally. Once I put the money in a safe, turned down the heat, hung up my hideous smock, and turned on the alarm system, we were good to go. I commended myself on my common sense (this was after I nearly locked the store keys in the safe with the cash), as I shut the front door. Success.

Seth wordlessly followed me into the forest as I tried to remember a shortcut to my house. Major fail. I'm not gonna lie, it was a bit difficult to think with him behind me. We might be friends of some sort, but he was still a guy. A sweet, smoking hot guy who loved me. The odds of me caving were embarrassingly high.

Dammit. Stupid statistics.

"Whad'ya want to do?" Well, before I'd been planning to kick back and watch some old Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes to up my amazing attack skills, but the idea no longer sounded appealing. I just imprinted…confused feelings…Seth would be with me, let's do the math here, shall we? Scratch that fun activity off the list. Anyway, Dad would probably be there. He might be "living" at the Call's home, but that's a relative term. The damn idiot kept barging in on my free time just so he could make sure I was "all good" (aka spy on me). I get the fatherly love involved in this, but I honestly do not want him to become the next male Emily. Okay, okay, and I actually _enjoy_ raiding the pantry and eating my Fritos in silence thank you very much. I seriously don't need a huge drama over my awful eating habits every time I got off guard duty.

I shook my head. Definitely _not_ going to my house. He grinned, his white teeth practically glowing in the dark. Great, now I'd just given him the reins. I bet he'd been expecting that. "Been to the caves yet?"

"Caves?" It's not like I'd been living in La Push for all that long, and no way my parents would have taken me there when I was little. I admit, I was a bit of an explorer as a kid. Sometimes I disappeared for hours on end before anyone realized I was gone. (There are my ninja skills for you.) I didn't blame them for not taking me. Hell, who knows what I would have done if I knew the caves existed.

"I mean, unless you'd rather go whale watching with the tourists," he smirked. Gee, I'm gonna have to think about that one---heck no. I've had to deal with those whiny people all day thanks to freaking Embry. If it wasn't for his oh so witty plan to get even, I wouldn't be in this mess. Yeah, total lie, I was still in deep shit when it came to my mafia encounter, but he was the perfect scapegoat. Who can blame me?

"They whale watch at eight?" I said. I guess it was kind of light outside...though that might only be because of my new spidey vision, not because of the actual sun position.

Seth laughed. "They whale watch at midnight. Haven't you read the newest brochure?" He said it partly in earnest and partly in mockery. I think I've been rubbing off on him---my bad.

"That's tomorrow," I gritted my teeth. "When Ms. 'You-Are-My-Slave' decides to make me twist them into the shape of a boat or something retarded like that."

"It can't be that bad." His eyes glinted with amusement. He totally knew how much this was killing me. I mean, how could he not? We were bonded at the hip now---literally. And no, that was not thought with resentment… fine, maybe it was. A little anyway.

"Don't believe me? How 'bout you take over tomorrow's shift?"

"It's only your second day. It'll get better."

Ugh. "Who the hell made you Mr. Positive?"

Seth rolled his eyes at my apparently absurd question. "I just imprinted _again _on my already soul mate who I haven't seen for days, so yeah, I'm gonna have to say I'm a little happy."

Only he could say that corny sentence and still make it sound somewhat believable. It kind of made me guilty for not going with the immediate response of becoming a love-driven shapeshifter with gooey eyes spewing a lot of useless crap coming out my mouth. But I guess that's why I'm a cynic. I just cannot force myself to do something like that. Resentment, denial, you name it. Since Seth and I were merely _friends_ (right now at least), I was just going to act like myself. No need to become a brainless girl in love when the situation didn't ask for it.

And yeah, there was my whole "scardey-cat" reason again, but let's not mention my weakness more than once.

My significant other watched my expressions closely as I fumbled to think of something to say. I ended up doing "the shrug" and ignoring the statement all together. My solution to anything remarkably challenging to answer.

Works every time.

Seth didn't mind, he was too much on a high. Maybe I should set some boundaries straight…

"We're just friends," I said. My face contorted into god who knows what as I tried to convey this message to him.

"If you say so," he said happily. "Doesn't really matter, right?" I shook my head. Not really. We both knew where it would end up in the long run. But I still couldn't understand why he wasn't broken up or anything about it. Normally guys would want to skip this stage altogether if they knew the inevitable. It wasn't as if Seth and I were strangers. We weren't like the others.

Stupid human emotions. Yeah, the _one _time someone would catch me wanting to be a wolf. Just so I could understand the bloody gestures that went with everything.

Seth seemed to sense my frustration and decided to clarify. _Thank you, Lord. _"I re-imprinted when you imprinted…I think. I dunno really. But it was different than the first time. I mean, I'm still imprinted with you, just not at the same intensity. At the intensity we're supposed to be at…" He stopped, trying to understand himself. I cocked an eyebrow wondering what the hell that boy was getting at.

"Maybe Jake knows?" He asked aloud, not really sure. Finally, he was comprehending what had been going through my mind for the last thirty minutes. Sure it was double the imprint, double the fun---no innuendos intended---but it also was double the confusion. Where did we _really _stand? I knew what I wanted to be, friends, but where were we really at as a couple?

"This is stupid," I sighed, pushing back a strand of my hair. "And too weird for me to even think about. Weren't we going to go to some caves?"

"Right. Caves. Right," Seth mumbled, but he sounded distracted. Totally understood where he was coming from. Welcome to Imprintation, where losing your mind is a completely normal symptom.

"Forget it," I said. I would rather go to the caves when both of our heads weren't completely up in the clouds. "Wanna just chill near the river?" The Quillayute River. Definite safe zone.

"Why? Scared of dark places?" He took on a lazy grin, his eyes watching me playfully. I could tell he was still trying to figure out a way to explain himself. I could care less right now. Let it go on the back burner with the rest of the useless things I _should _be concerned about.

"Nothing's dark anymore," I thought to inform him. "I just want to save the caves for another day."

"Because of patrol then?" He asked. Crap, I forgot. Sam had wanted me to talk to him after the hell job. Not to bond or anything, more as an assurance to his conscience that I hadn't killed anyone. Whoops. If I were a good little cousin, I would phase and ease his mind. However, considering I was not that, I merely smiled at Seth and shook my head. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Liar," he laughed, punching my shoulder slightly. "It's okay, we can do something tomorrow after school. We both know how Sam gets." Yeah, he was a hissy fit in the making.

"So?" I rolled my eyes. "He can deal." And I haven't talked to you, Seth, _really _talked to you, in ages. Because of my stubbornness, because of freaking bloodsuckers, because of my awful luck. Of course, I wasn't going to say that out loud. Why do that when I can act all mysterious? Seth frowned and rubbed his forehead. He looked unsettled for a second before shaking whatever it was off. Strange.

"Sure, sure. But if Sam gets on your ass… _not _my fault." He drew a halo around his head, the corners of his mouth twitching with glee. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes again and started hiking through the greenery.

I looked back, unsurprised to see that he hadn't moved an inch. "But if he punishes me, you won't see me," I sang with a false cheery voice, effectively wiping the smug expression right off his face. That should do it. He caught up with me in less than a second – scared the hell out of me. I never realized how much speed he was holding back before.

"You could just… you know…phase then phase back."

Brilliant idea. And so _not _going to happen. First, that phase then phase back ability? Didn't work too well with me. I either phased and lamented for thirty minutes on how it was impossible to phase back or…well, that's all I did. I had no control.

"How long did it take you to become normal again?" I asked him out of nowhere. Normal, such a harmless, useless, far-fetched word that I would never be again. _Normal_. It tasted weird in my mouth just saying it.

Seth stopped dead in his tracks. His skin flushed slightly, somehow causing his words to be slightly garbled. "Longer than you."

I knew why. I didn't know how, but I knew why. It was a mutual understanding in order for me to keep my big trap shut. Seth didn't talk much about his dad. But when he did, I was always able to sympathize, or empathize, or whatever the hell it is with him. We both lost parents when we were younger. Maybe that's another bullet on fate's list for putting the pair of us together. I never really thought about it that much. Like the whiney teen I am, I was obviously more concerned about growing fur whenever I got angry. Not about the connections between Seth and I.

I laughed, trying to shake off the suddenly tense atmosphere. "Good, and here I was thinking I was an anomaly."

"You _are_ an anomaly," he obnoxiously thought to point out.

"No, I am merely the _victim _of an anomaly."

"Do you really feel a victim to it?" He was no longer smiling, his eyes full of that god-forsaken emotion that made me want to run in the other direction. Why? Because now I wanted to show him that I felt the same way. Ugh. And to boot, this conversation was no longer pivoting around the matter of werewolfdom. Nope, it somehow moved to imprintation.

And my 'do nothing and shrug' solution was not going to work this time. The subject was too touchy, too personal.

"No," I said firmly. "I feel the same way, but I have no idea what that way is." _There, chew on that a bit, _I thought.

"What?" His eyebrows furrowed. I sighed. Maybe being cryptic was not the way to go. Boys never understood it.

"Quit looking at me like that!" I threw up my hands, shaking them for extra effect. "I cannot think when you give me that stare---"

"You are doing it to me too," he silenced me. "I can't think either." Personally, I highly doubted that considering I could never master that good enough of an emotion. I was awkward when dealing with love. I did not express it in normal human ways. Well, okay, I did. But conveying emotions for me was like solving long algebraic equations. I just plain sucked at it.

"Well then we just won't look at each other." Plain, simple, and child-like enough for both of our minds to handle.

I turned my back on him and sat by a tree. We obviously weren't going to the river or the caves anytime soon. No, we got to hang around the Olympic Park like rapists. I briefly wondered if Edward was hiding anywhere.

Seth followed and plopped himself on the other side of the demented tree. We were at a wonderful stalemate. Great.

"I know you feel it," he murmured. I could hear him perfectly, but decided to pretend I had lousy human ears. "I can feel that you feel it." He laughed at the stupidity of the sentence. I loved his laugh. A warm feeling spread from my toes and continued to short circuit my body as my heart began beating louder.

Stupid organ. Always ratting me out.

"Yep."

"That's it? Yep? Where's the deep, probably profane, piece of wisdom from the great Tala Uley?" He mocked. I cracked a smile. That stupid idiot really knew how my twisted mind worked. Sort of.

"Wondering what the hell we're doing."

"We're talking."

"About what exactly? Our feelings? I thought only little girls did that," I snickered. A boy would rather eat a toxic, radioactive bowl of worms than talk about their feelings. I knew from experience. Heck, I would rather eat a bowl of worms than do it. Feelings? Me? No.

"What would you rather do? Make out?" Oh Lord, I wish he hadn't given me that option. My body wanted to, or else that odd butterfly sensation wouldn't have appeared. My mind though kept screaming "FRIENDS!" over and over again.

"Tempting," I managed to spit out (barely), "but see, yeah, umm, I----"

"And this is why we need to talk."

Smart ass.

"You mentioned intensity earlier?" I coughed, slightly embarrassed, and slightly still in shock at my imprint's suggestion.

"It's different," I heard him sigh. "I'm not sure, with both of us in this deal, it's stronger---I want to be with you even more, but it's complicated." I didn't know whether to be flattered, or annoyed at our predicament.

"How the hell can it be stronger? I thought imprinting had only one level: unbelievably high."

He huffed from his side of the tree. "I dunno! You reciprocate fully now I guess…it's not just a human bond deal…ugh, what do I look like? A brainiac?"

"Do you _really _want me to answer that?" I said as seriously as I could. He totally just set himself up.

"No," Seth pleaded. "Don't."

"As you wish," I smiled, quoting _the Princess Bride. _

"You just said you love me, you know. That's what it meant."

"How'd you know I was…?" I stopped before I said something utterly idiotic. It wasn't as if I was going for that particular interpretation. "You don't read."

"I get dared though."

I sighed. I really needed to talk to Leah about all these book dares. I mean, _Jane Eyre_ is tough enough, but _the Princess Bride _too? I started to smell a rat. My imprint was both a liar (although a sucky one) and a softie. There goes his manliness out the door. I waved it goodbye with a smirk on my face.

* * *

Seth and I ended chatting about stupid things for a good hour. All while sitting on opposite sides of a tree. A brilliant solution to a strange problem. It was nice because we could just talk as friends, not lusty future bed mates. I didn't realize how much I needed it. After, I headed home, showered, and wore a hole in my floor pacing about school the next day. Completely forgetting about Sam.

Not a good idea.

I woke up to the pounding of my front door. Blearily opening my sleep-crusted lids, I noticed it was two in the morning. I was going to freaking kill whoever was downstairs. Was I worried about murderers? No, I had werewolf technique for that. But was I pissed off, ready to pounce on whoever destroyed what was left of my beauty sleep? Hell yes. I slipped down the stairs and slammed open that offensive piece of wood.

And there Sam was at my doorstep, big, scary, and eyes full of anger.

I gulped loudly. This was not a time to mess with him. He was in his 'alpha zone.' But when was I ever smart?

"What do you want?" I growled, eyes flashing for good measure.

"Where the hell have you been?" The question came quickly, slashing the air like a knife.

"None of your damn business."

"Tala, I smell Seth on you. Where is he?" Okay, creeper.

"I don't know, maybe his _house_? I left him hours ago. What is your freaking problem?"

Sam relaxed slightly, but didn't stop giving me that hard-core stare. "Why didn't you phase tonight?"

"Because I didn't _want _to. Jared and one of the newbies had patrol."

"I asked you to. Why do you always have to go out of your way to make me miserable?" I really hope he wasn't being serious. What a rhetorical question, jeez. Did he not know me at all? I just gave him a look and he rolled his eyes.

"Is there a reason this chitchat is at two in the damn morning?" I mean, really. He could have just given me shit tomorrow---or earlier today for that matter. Sam _knew _sleep was practically a myth for us. The inconsiderate bastard. If I weren't so tired, I would phase right now. My blood was boiling hot enough.

"Did you imprint?" He wondered out loud.

"Do you have to answer every freaking question with a question? Yes, I did. Now goodnight." I tried shutting the door, but his hand got into the way.

"And?"

"And what? I want to sleep _a little _before hell tomorrow. Goodnight Sam." His hand stopped the door again and I sighed. Really? I swallowed another offensive retort and did the easiest thing. Turn my back on him and head right up those stairs. He wouldn't follow me, the pansy. He knew better. But of course, this didn't stop him from stopping me. A rough hand grabbed the back of my ratty old t-shirt and jerked forward.

I was now on my ass in front of my alpha. And he was amused. Bloody brilliant.

"Quit manhandling me. What do you want?"

"You're a grouch," he noted, a smile gracing that stoic face of his. Lord, if my bipolarness was bad, his was downright awful.

"And you're an asshole. Lay off!" I yanked his hand away and stood up. Maybe if I closed my eyes he'd go away. I was in darkness for a whole three seconds before I blinked. Sam was still there and still waiting for an answer.

I hate my life.

"Fine!" I clenched my fists, ready to punch someone. All I wanted was sleep, was that too much to ask? "I imprinted, it was great, and we're friends. Happy?"

"You didn't---?" He let his voice trail off in suggestion.

"What do you think I am? A whore? A twit? A go-getter? NO."

"Nobody's ever had a double imprint before, Tala. Naturally, we all took bets and---"

"Bets?! Really?" He had to be joking me.

"I had to see who won," he informed me. "The guys were too scared to wake the Sleeping Beauty, and I already needed to chew you out for disobeying orders. It was either you had the control to keep your hormones in check or you didn't. "

Scratch that. They were _all_ pansy asses. The whole lot of them. Of course _Sam _had to be the candidate. My cousin grinned at the sight of my face, and started to close the door. His work was now said and done.

"Sam?" I asked, when there was less than a crack remaining. "Did _you_ win?" It was a question I'd thought of on whim, and I was almost too scared to hear the answer.

He laughed. "Yes, and thanks for the extra cash." With that, the door locked shut.

* * *

For the first time in my career as I student, I went to school early. I was still tired from dear old Sam's lovely wake up call, and in dire need of coffee. One thing I've learned from being a shapeshifter is that coffee is the elixir of life. It works better than all that other Powerade crap (granted after about four cups of it), and gives even me a caffeine jolt. Unfortunately, my coffee machine was broken, and I had to resort to sneaking into the teacher's lounge. I _could _have gone to somebody's house, but what's the fun in that? I like to act bad ass and live on the edge.

My stomach grumbled from the lack of food. I groaned ---I wasn't used to eating breakfast. Usually I skipped the meal altogether. Though that was then and this was now. Damn. It probably was not good to unleash a new, hungry werewolf into the school.

Then again, when was I ever one for technicalities? I _needed _my caffeine fix.

I tiptoed past the administration office full of neon signs until I was standing in front of a door labeled 'FACULTY ONLY.' If you _really _looked at it, I was practically faculty. Sort of. I mean, I was here as much as they were and could probably teach some of the subjects better as well. So it wasn't as if I wasn't supposed to be going in here, right?

Too bad Jiminy Cricket hadn't arrived at school yet, I could probably use his help in the "moral" department after this. Then again, it wasn't as if I was blowing up anything. Not yet anyway. I was just getting a harmless cup of coffee.

Ugh, I _really _needed to stop rationalizing with myself. I just lost two minutes. I hit myself on the forehead and entered the room. Coast was clear, not a soul in sight.

I did an air punch at my luck, and made a beeline for the coffee machine. Sweet, sweet success. I dumped a load of sugar and crème into the substance and practically poured the burning liquid down my throat.

And filled another cup. Then another. I was so immersed in my coffee massacre that I didn't hear the footsteps until it was too late. Shit. From the corner of my eye I saw an unfamiliar man standing in the corner of the room holding a clipboard over his mouth.

He was cracking up, a hearty noise coming out of his throat. Well, at least this was better than detention. While he was making a spectacle out of himself, I studied him. I'd never seen the guy before in my life. He was big, like that Emmett vampire, muscular, freckled, and sun burnt. Definitely not a Quileute. His black hair was like a raven's, and contrasted against his murky green eyes. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties, still not quite a full adult---more like a college student. Hmm, probably new off the ship then. But who was I to judge age? All the newbies looked older than me, a fact that was really quite disturbing.

"I'm Matt Sullivan," he said, stretching his hand out. Okay, so he wasn't going to yell at me? I could deal with that. I warily shook it, not really sure what to do. "I just started here a few weeks ago."

"What classes are you teaching?" _Please don't be my teacher. Please don't be my teacher. _If he was, I was screwed and stuck in detention. And it'd just be awkward in class. If he wasn't, I was still stuck in detention, but it wasn't as bad considering I wouldn't have to see him every day. Detention was inevitable, I figured, but it was a brilliant excuse for not going to work.

See? I was clever and I didn't even try.

"English for the high school, and I think I'm stuck moderating some study halls since I'm the new kid in town," he grinned, a dimple indenting on the side of his mouth. I let out a breath. Right, I was _supposed _to analyze him like a giggly girl as if he were a piece of meat. Darn, I forgot my place in society. He was definite eye candy, I'd give him that, but he had nothing on Seth.

And I was going to be seeing him in class, freaking awesome. Ugh, wonder what happened to Mrs. Thompson. Maybe she bailed town. Good, now I wouldn't have to make up that awful English assignment.

"What do you teach?" The question surprised me. Do I _look_ like a teacher? I'm 16! Hardly old enough to be giving lessons to bratty kids. Then it hit me. I may be 16, but I was physically older thanks to my wonderful genes. He thought I was a fellow faculty member, I mean, I was in the lounge. Poor, poor Mattie. I was going to have fun with this little charade.

"History," I replied, holding my breath. Hopefully he hadn't met the rest of the staff yet.

The bell rang, and both of us shifted, not wanting to be the first to leave. If I went out there, then that killed the whole façade. Someone, namely the secretary, would recognize me. I don't know what his excuse was. I decided to take the easy route and scare him off. He could give me three more detentions when he found out for all I cared. The more, the merrier.

I leaned in slightly. "You don't look like someone who spurts poetry as a living."

He brushed off the insult, his green eyes lighting up. "And you don't look like you'd be teaching something as dull as history."

Was he seriously flirting with me? Red zone. Not good. I headed for the door. Screw Mrs. Akara, I had class. And I'd rather be there than here. Time for the big finale. "That's 'cause I'm not," I smiled sweetly at the poor man. "I'm a student. See you in class, Mr. Sullivan."

With that happy goodbye, I set off to Pre-Cal, closing the door on his horrified face.

* * *

**Haha, poor Mr. Sullivan. Anywho, what a brain dump. I hope ****_some _****of that made sense. Ah well. Tala has such conflicting feelings on the imprinting issue. It was hard to write them all down – I didn't want it to be "instant love." Sorry to all those who did. I want her to still act herself, and fall **_**in love **_**with Seth on her own terms. The bond does affect her (you shall see what I have planned, mwah haha), but that does not mean she necessarily will give in. All the time anyway. I hope you guys understand the reasoning somewhat – our pairing is still trying to figure things out. They aren't totally sure what level they're on yet, and I'm not going to rush it ;D The editing/punctuation errors are my fault, I'll look at them later. This **_**needs **_**to be put up. **

**Sorry for this massive A/N. I won't promise that I'll update asap (that reverse psychology apparently doesn't work with me)…but I will try to do it before everyone completely forgets about this story. No worries, it won't be months this time. Hehe **_**that **_**was bad. My procrastination and school did wonders on my writing ability. But yeah, here's a late Christmas/New Year's present for you. A light heartened, hopefully not too tragic chapter. **

**Review and let me know what you think! **


	30. Welcome to Confused Relationships

**No, this is not a hoax. Or a dream. Or an annoying author's note. I actually just updated. I have written this chapter on three different computers, and finally was able to upload it with the OpenOffice deal without wanting to murder someone. -sigh- So folks, it's been...erm three months. One less than last time! This has taken so long because I literally have had no spare moments to type it all out. It's been in my head (and scrawled on numerous notebooks) for awhile now. So fingers crossed that it is liked....it's more of a bridge chapter....anywho, enjoy. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Stephanie Meyer's amazing characters--only all the ones you don't recognize. Like Tala.**

**Born To Be Wild**

Chapter Thirty:

* * *

_I leaned in slightly. "You don't look like someone who spurts poetry as a living."_

_He brushed off the insult, his green eyes lighting up. "And you don't look like you'd be teaching something as dull as history."_

_Was he seriously flirting with me? Red zone. Not good. I headed for the door. Screw Mrs. Akara, I had class. And I'd rather be there than here. Time for the big finale. "That's 'cause I'm not," I smiled sweetly at the poor man. "I'm a student. See you in class, Mr. Sullivan."_

_With that happy goodbye, I set off to Pre-Cal, closing the door on his horrified face._

* * *

Class was as dull as hell. It was only first period, and I was already falling asleep. Seriously, who honestly cares about functions and complex numbers? When will we _ever _need to figure out the imaginary roots of a polynomial in real life? Either I was missing something big, or Pre-Cal was just a useless subject. I'm rooting for the latter.

I huffed loudly, causing a few strands of my hair to get into my eyes. The endless chatter of the kids around me made me want to scream. These super senses were getting on my nerves. I could hear everything from the whereabouts of where I "really" was to how Dave Cabot in the sophomore class got caught behind the dumpsters with meth.

"Eskridge was supposed to go to juvy," one girl muttered to her friend after giving me a side glance. I scoffed. More like an evil scientist's experimenting lab. Or the Volturi's dungeon. Juvy would be the least of my problems.

Sighing, I double checked the left pocket of my backpack once more in hopes that my iPod would magically appear. It didn't. I must've forgotten to pack my key survival item this morning. Now I would have to endure the torture of school alone. Brilliant. I looked around the room at all the bored teenagers. Half of them were texting in their laps/chewing gum obnoxiously, a quarter of them were drooling on their desks asleep, while the rest were daydreaming or talking to their friends.

I didn't have anyone I knew (or cared to know) in my class. Talking was out of the question. My cell phone was sadly at the bottom of my backpack, turned off. I was too hyped up on caffeine to daydream or sleep. So that left the fun option of chewing gum obnoxiously.

I think I'll pass.

God forbid I actually _listen _to the lesson, so I opted for hanging out in the hallways. My arm rose up immediately. The teacher took a whole five minutes to see me (probably because me raising my hand is a rare and much treasured occasion).

"Miss Eskridge," she stammered, glancing at the class roster to make sure she had my name right. See? This is an example of how great my class participation is. I watched the woman as she got over the shock of it all. Finally after a few more seconds of wonder and awe, she got a hold of herself. "Did you have a question?"

"Yeah, can I go to the restroom?" I asked a bit too insolently for her taste. She straightened her shoulders and looked me dead on.

"Can you?" Ugh, I hated when the teachers did that. It's not like this was English class or anything. That was with the going-to-be-really-pissed-off-at-me Mr. Sullivan.

"_May _I go to the restroom?"

"But you have added nothing to this discussion." Personally, I'd say no one had, but what's the opinion of a measly subordinate in comparison to the high and mighty teacher? I had a response stuck in the back of my throat, but I held it in. She rolled her eyes and motioned me forward when it was obvious that I had nothing to say back. I gave her a fake cheery smile as I lifted myself out of my seat, and hurried to the door. I had ten to fifteen minutes tops before she'd miss me. Possibly even more if I could think up a good excuse for my prolonged absence. Diarrhea? Cramps? Boredom? I'd think of something.

I was so intent on leaving that stupid class that I ran right into something muscular in the hallway. Rubbing my head, I groaned, knowing immediately it was a werewolf. I was not in the mood to talk to one of the "elite." This was partly because I did not want to associate myself with their group (even though technically I could be considered one of them), and partly because well, I was sick of seeing supernatural beings. Sometimes it was nice to escape reality, even if it was in this particular jail yard. A unique lemon and earthy aroma attacked my nose, and it made me want to turn around and head back to the classroom even more.

"What's up, Tal?" Nick grinned down upon me. Even with a huge growth spurt, I was still tiny in comparison. Damn genetics.

"Nothing, nature is calling," I replied, intent on maneuvering myself out of his way. I didn't really want to chat with my Jiminy Cricket considering a) the last time we met, I had kicked his butt and bruised his ego b) supernatural being alert and c) he was my cousin's informant, and Sam, school, and werewolfdom were the banes of my existence, though not necessarily in that order. Nick promptly cut me off, his smile not fading from his face.

"No, seriously. What are you_ really_ doing?" He obviously wasn't buying my restroom excuse. Apparently he and my Pre-Cal teacher had that in common. I needed to work on my lying techniques. Though, I've gotta say, it's been kind of hard lately considering the whole circus has been gallivanting around my head. Stupid thought sharing. The repayment was bullshit; Sam's pack had even duller lives than my own. Even Paul and his lying around was getting old. Growing mental barriers to block out his nightly escapades was the only feat I'd managed to accomplish. Other than that, I had to hear the newbies whine about their sorry lives and their relationships. Oh wait, that was me.

"Who died and made you king? None of your freaking business." I tried shoving past him once more, but he was stronger.

"Tala --- where were you this morning? We tried calling, but your cell was---"

"Off. I know. Why do you care? I can get to school by myself. It's not like it's that far away."

"You haven't been here for nearly three weeks," he patiently explained to me. "And you don't really have a squeaky clean record on control..." Nick's sentence drifted off as he waited for me to get what he was implying. What an ass. I wasn't going to kill anyone on my first day back.

"So?" I put my hands on my hips, just like those girls did in the movies.

"_So_," he began, "it's not really smart for you to be unguarded."

"_Unguarded?" _ My voice rose. I resisted the urge to punch his face. "I can damn well guard myself. Leave me alone."

"No can do. You see, I sorta run everything at the school for our pack." Nick? My Jiminy Cricket? The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. He was a subordinate, but he was the highest ranking shapeshifter of Sam's pack going to school. I, of course, was at the bottom of the food chain. Not that it really mattered. I beat his ass into the ground (well, my wolf did anyway), and in animal terms, that meant I had dominance over him. Guess he sort of forgot about that minor detail.

"I know what you're thinking," he informed me matter-of-factly. Hmm, guess not. Did the thought sharing extend into human domain? I didn't think so...I would have been able to hear him. Nick was just a psycho misfit. "Which is why I'm watching _both _of you."

Wait, what? "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Seth and you. And how your control is going to be messed up due to the link."

"You don't know that for sure," I said, hiding the fact that that was _not _what had been crossing my mind. Maybe his pride was so hurt, he didn't want to think about it? Or maybe I didn't do as much damage as I thought...

"Sam's not risking it."

"Of course he's not," I muttered to myself. Sam was no risk taker, he analyzed _everything _till it was past the point of dissection.

"So yeah, back to what I was saying, I'm kind of in charge of making sure you don't eat anyone while we're here. Unless it's Damien, man that kid's getting on my nerves," he joked.

Ha we'll see about that. I smirked, nodding at his nonsense. He had no idea who he was up against. Nick lightened up a bit when he realized I wasn't going to cause a big scene (yet), and then bid me a merry goodbye as he walked the opposite direction. As I was about to head back to Pre-Cal (my fifteen minutes were definitely up), it dawned upon me that he purposely left his class to come talk to me. Which meant he somehow _knew _I was there.

Talk about creepy. And I would have to see him again in English class. With Seth. And Matt Sullivan. Oh joy. It was gonna be a party.

Celebrating my upending doom.

* * *

You know the saying 'time flies when you're having fun?" Well, it does not work vice-versa. I practically ran through the lunchroom doors after history, ready to end my misery. Forget about being near shapeshifters and vampires, this reality sucked. The fact about how _dull_ the school day was with its never ending lectures and homework must've slipped my mind when I woke up this morning. If I had remembered, I certainly would not be here. Even roaming the forest looking for nonexistent threats was better than this. My appetite flipped when an onslaught of disgusting artificial food and B.O. filtrated my senses. Oh, the wonders of a cafeteria. Goody.

"That better have been some damn horrible sickness," someone said from behind me. I dropped my lunch tray back on the pile. Daisy. "You didn't call me or anything. All I got was one stupid text message saying you were ill. What's wrong with this picture?"

"Me," I replied, hugging her. I don't do hugs, but she deserved one. I treated one of my only friends here like crap. "I'm sorry."

She waved it off. "It's cool. You can make it up to me later. So what did you have that kept those poor fingers from texting? You look fine now." Her suspicious gaze did not escape my notice. If the rumors weren't about me going to juvy, they were about me getting plastic surgery or something of the like. My new "older" appearance was not disregarded by the school population. If the lack of my youth hadn't been noticed when I first applied, it sure as hell was now. I could probably fully pass as a twenty-five year old woman, something that I was _mucho _uncomfortable with. Being a werewolf not only took away my right of freedom as well as my future, it sort of took away the remnants of my childhood. Hence my hate for it.

"Mono," I said, hoping that I told her the right excuse. I couldn't exactly recall what Sam had told the school. "I was so tired, I could barely do anything."

Daisy picked up my dropped tray and passed it to me. "Oh, then I totally gotcha. My sister had that freshman year. It sucked. Our house was in full quarantine for forever. Are you better now? That shit can last for months."

Werewolfdom? Better? Joke. "Not exactly." I had a feeling this would last longer than months. Daisy patted my should reassuringly, and put some random goop on her plate.

"Time for meatloaf surprise," she grimaced.

Once we paid for our meals (mine definitely larger than hers), we walked over to our customary table that we always sat at in the back of the room. For some odd reason, I couldn't stop glancing at the lunchroom doors every five seconds. It was like I was missing something. I felt a rock lodge itself in my stomach, refusing to let go till I figured out what this _something_ was. Daisy noticed immediately, but chose not to say anything about it. She stuck a fork in her lump of food, making the necessary sound effects.

"Yum," she said in tune with her grumbling stomach. I concurred, still not able to shake off the feeling that I had forgotten an essential part of me.

"So, what have I missed while I've been gone?" I decided to broach the topic, figuring it would trigger my memory.

"Just about everything," Daisy exclaimed, slamming her fork down excitedly. Jeez, I should have asked before. Now I was going to get every word coated with Daisy animation. "Hays is ready to murder you 'cause you're his forward, and the game is next week. Cordelia permanently went on leave, so C&C is disbanded. Erm, and oh yeah, Kendall got a kid kicked out, and we have a new English-Lit teacher. He's super _hott_."

Oh Matthew Sullivan. How you become ever more mysterious.

"What happened to Thompson?" I said, actually curious. The old bat wouldn't leave the school even if she were on life support.

"She didn't die if that's what you're asking," Daisy rolled her eyes at my obvious contempt for the woman. "Some relative had an accident, and she had to go take care of the son. Or, that's what the school told us at least. I don't really care either way. We got Mr. Sully."

"Mr. Sully? Like in Monster's Inc?" I teased.

"No. More like Irish hottie. He's teaching us while working on his degree. So, _a college boy._" She fluttered her eyelashes provocatively. That's the deal about Daisy. She is the most down-to-earth person in this school, but she has one slight flaw, she's a bit boy crazy sometimes. When you get her started, she won't stop. And she has some strange deal for college guys; high school boys, she declared to me when we first met, were too immature. I had a feeling English class for her would be spent trying to get poor Mattie's attention.

I sighed and once more swung my head around to watch the lunch doors. No sign of whatever I was searching for. The empty pit in my stomach became worse as my eyes retreated back to my food. I stabbed my pile of hamburger with a knife, wanting to get rid of the stupid feeling. What was wrong with me? How come, all the sudden, I was no longer hungry? _Great, that did it. Now I've got heartburn. _Was I coming down with mono for real this time? My body started shaking at the thought. And like always, it wouldn't stop.

"Whoah Tala, you good? You seem kinda off today," Daisy said, checking my forehead with her hand. "Shit, you're burning up. You should go lie down, I think you've still got that mono."

"No, that's not it," I said, scrunching up my eyebrows. What the hell was going on?

She sat there in disbelief. "Did you hear me? Your forehead is _burning._ That usually means you're sick, dummy. Unless you're a masochist of course, and actually want to stay in school."

By this time, I couldn't stop quivering. I tried every breathing technique Sam had uselessly taught me, but alas, I must've not been listening hard enough. My body was not paying attention anyway. When the guys from the table next to us started giving me some uber weird looks, and Daisy was practically out of her seat, ready to escort me to the nurse, I figured that it was time to hightail it out of there before things got ugly. I briefly wondered where Nick and the rest of the "elite" were before leaving the overpopulated, nasty smelling cafeteria. Probably outside making sure none of the bullies stole some kid's lunch money. Sam and his saint followers. I obviously did not make the "angel" list.

I reached a hidden nook at the end of the hallway before I collapsed on the ground. My hands were becoming maracas, and that awful stomach feel had increased ten fold. That's it. Whatever thing I was "missing" was causing this damn anxiety, and I wanted it to stop. I couldn't even think to figure out what it was --- I was almost certain it was so obvious that even Nick could tell me the answer, but my brain currently was on meltdown. No answers were coming out of it anytime soon.

"Tal?" My name echoed down the hall. It was like someone had stuffed my mouth with Advil --- instant relief. I wanted to throw something --- or someone for that matter --- against a wall. It's official, I freaking hate karma. My first unconscious attempt at resisting the stupid bond had failed. I should have known what I was missing the moment my eyes drifted toward the lunchroom doors.

Idiocy at its finest.

The person jogged down the hall, and found me huddled up in a ball. He mumbled some words of thanks under his breath, and scooped me up as if I weighed nothing. I laid my cheek against his chest and breathed in a familiar scent that made my whole body relax. Only my other half could do this to me. Only Seth could make me feel completely whole.

I sounded like a character who starred in one of those corny romance novels Embry's mom hid under the store counter. Bloody perfect. Next thing you know, I'd be sprouting sonnets.

"I ran into Sullivan on accident, and had to pick up some papers I missed while I was gone last week," Seth said, still holding me close to him. "I'm sorry I didn't get to the cafeteria earlier."

"Why are you saying sorry? It's not like you did anything." My body did. And the bond.

"You could've phased, Tal," he said seriously. "And I wouldn't have been there to make excuses as to why you were suddenly a giant fluffy Pomeranian." I had yet to cut my long hair, and the boys wouldn't let me hear the end of it.

"Oh dear, and what would you have said?" I mocked.

"That my girlfriend can do that on fly 'cause she's part of an experiment...or that we're a duo magic act, and this is just a performance, or that you've been cursed by a witch, and I'm the only one to break the spell, or----"

"Hold up, girlfriend? We're just friends, Seth." Yeah, I'm such a crappy liar. Here we are _just friends, _and he's holding me in an embrace closer than two lovers. Just friends my ass. My denial wasn't going to work anymore.

"I've considered this," he said slowly, with a wicked glint in his eye, "and I've come to the conclusion that we _have _to say we're girlfriend/boyfriend. People are gonna notice when we hang out together a lot, and will start talking."

"When have you ever cared what people think?"

"When it works to my advantage," he replied with a dimpled grin. Damn my stupid hormonal levels. My heart began beating a little too fast for my liking, and I buried my face in his shirt. I was not going to let him see the red spots that had flared on my cheeks. That would mean weakness. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Seth prodded me. He totally knew what was going through my mind right now. And the idiot still kept provoking me.

"No," I muttered venomously. "This is so unfair."

"My amazingness? If so, I totally agree."

"Ugh, no, it's 'cause if I look up, you're probably gonna do that eye deal again." _You know, the one of utmost passion that makes me just want to melt in your arms? _There was no tree separating us now. I was screwed on the whole "keeping it together" aspect of this relationship. If he kept giving me the "stare," we would be going up a few stages before the day's end, something I was _not _prepared for.

"Which one?" He said a bit too innocently. I frowned, and accidentally picked my head out of my little cocoon that I'd made. What a fail on my part. It was like we were "imprinting" all over again. Everything stood at a standstill as that stupid emotion literally poured out those delectable liquid brown eyes of his. Whatever witty thing I was about to retort completely flew out of my mind. Damn him. This was way too intense for my liking. He grunted as I continued to stare at him, unable to do much else. I felt like a helpless little doll, doomed against the waves of emotion emitting from my soul mate. And some wall, some mental barrier in me crumbled. I had the sudden urge to kiss him, hug him, or do something to show him that he was more to me than a friend. More than just a person to talk to on my itinerary. More than any of my pack mates.

He was everything.

I realized almost instantly that we passed some standard procedure of double imprints, because the next thing I know, Seth's soft lips are on mine and we're kissing. A tingling sensation short circuited my body, and my hands automatically wove their way into his black hair. He groaned, and propped me up, bringing me even closer to him. This was wrong, so very wrong. But I couldn't stop. And neither could he. Seth's warm breath washed my face and without meaning to, I deepened this kiss, my lips slowly caressing his. I felt like I was on Cloud Nine. I was so happy that it should've been illegal.

Spoken like a pro.

"Argh, PDA! PDA!" Collin slapped his hand over his eyes, stumbling away. Seth flushed and he slowly put me back on the floor. We both had sheepish, guilty expressions donning our faces. I'm pretty sure at this point my russet skin was as red as it could get.

Collin's partner in crime, Brady, poked his head around the nook, and did a double take. "The lovers? Finally hook up?" He glanced at his friend. "Dude, you and Nick owe me ten bucks. I _told _you that it would be today. And you doubted my abilities." He shook his head sadly.

Seth and I were still unable to process words. I think we were both shocked at what had just occurred.

Brady threw a salute to us, and grabbed Collin's shirt. "Ya, just so you know, class is 'bout to start. If you wanna suck face, do it somewhere else. Art I is coming here any moment." With that, the pair trooped off to their next period.

I touched my swollen lips; they were still buzzing from our kiss. Oh dear Lord, what did I just do? That was so not supposed to happen. _And why was I replaying it in my mind? _I shook my head, trying to stop my thoughts. Easier said than done. You know that confusion I was talking about earlier concerning the double imprint? Totally just multiplied.

"I'm sorry," Seth finally managed to say. "That was out of line." He didn't look sorry. Actually, he seemed practically ecstatic. I wasn't too far off. It wasn't as if I hadn't _enjoyed _it. If I had been uncomfortable, he would've stopped. But I hadn't, and he didn't. Now we were at yet another lovely impasse. We weren't friends, we weren't like the typical boyfriend and girlfriend, we weren't wolf mates, we weren't husband and wife...we weren't normal. And that fun display of affection wasn't because of the imprint either, so I couldn't use that as an excuse. I suppose I could say we were just caught up in the moment. That's plausible, right?

I didn't answer him at first. I gazed right into those melting pots of chocolate, calculating how much longer we had until we were both goners. Not long. This was just a step --- a baby step at that --- towards the full implications of a double imprint. Guidelines that both of us were clueless about. Welcome to the land of confused relationships. "Okay,you're right. From now on, we're girlfriend/boyfriend. Capiche?"

"You're doing it all wrong," Seth whined. "_I've _got to ask you."

"Says who?" I demanded. He better not be a closet chauvinist. I was, of course, proven wrong almost instantly.

"Me." He took a hold of my hands and brought me closer. "Tala," he whispered huskily into my ear, "will you be my girlfriend?"

"Seth, you already know the answer," I managed to laugh. "Now, c'mon, we better get to English before Sullivan flips."

"Since when do you care about English class?" He said, not letting go of my hand when I tried to yank it away. Defeated, I let the warmth spread through my fingers, my insides roasting from an emotion that I was unaccustomed with.

"Well, I sorta did a bad thing this morning----"

* * *

"Nice of you to join us," Mr. Sullivan said as we walked in the door. "Mr. Clearwater, remove yourself from your girlfriend and go take a seat." I guess informing everyone we were dating was sort of counterproductive considering our English teacher figured it out at first glance. Then again, he saw us holding hands. It doesn't take much of a genius to put two and two together.

Seth held in a laugh as he detached himself from me. He totally knew I was screwed. It wasn't as if I hadn't been feeling guilty the whole morning about the encounter. That freaking emotion attacked my conscience more than my Jiminy Cricket. Now, in my head, Matt Sullivan had been reduced to the role of a poor, vulnerable victim, a man who was just trying to make a friend or two in this foreign world of ours, and me, the evil student. It's not easy being white on an Indian reserve. Especially an Irish, freckled, sun burnt white. I probably knocked off a few bars of his self-esteem, and made him feel even more of an alien.

Bravo, Tala. Bravo.

Now I was waiting to see what he would do. My guess was that he would either not talk to me at all, or give me detention after class. But from the look on his face, it seemed as if I was wrong on both accounts. He was no wuss. He'd have his payback in some way or form.

"Class," he said turning to the group of kids jammed in every desk. "It seems we have a new student." Matt Sullivan was mocking me. Anyone who had ever encountered me knew I hated attention, and would rather be invisible in school than not. People just thought of me as that intimidating girl with the iPod who didn't talk to anyone. They assumed I was snobby or emo. Or both. Personally, it didn't matter as long as they didn't bother me.

And Mr. Sullivan was definitely bothering me. It was as if he knew he was pushing my buttons by doing this.

"I'm not new," I thought to point out. He grinned, dimple and all. If it was even possible, his green eyes practically emitted mischievousness. I think I heard Daisy swoon from the back.

"I know," he said to me offhandedly. The fact didn't seem to matter to him. The guy then waved me forward to give an introduction. I scowled. He wouldn't have cared if these people had knew me since kindergarten, I was still expected to give them my name.

"Tala Eskridge." Some kid in the front row snickered at my predicament, and I gave him a hard stare. He looked down. Intimidation had its benefits.

"Tala," my new English teacher said, tasting the word in his mouth. "That's Native American right?"

I didn't really get what game he was playing at. I was Native American. My name was practically Native American. What was his point? "Sure." I just wanted to go to my seat and become obscure, a mere blur in sea of students. But no, he wasn't going to let that happen.

"So, tell us a little bit about yourself. I'm new, and haven't had the chance to meet all my students." Okay, it was official. From the look on Seth's face, I could tell Sullivan knew _exactly _what he was doing. He definitely was making me pay for this morning. I inwardly groaned and shifted my feet. What the hell did he want me to say?

"Umm, I've been sick for the past two and a half weeks" He encouraged me to continue. I was about ready to encourage him to walk a plank and drown. "I moved here this year from Texas."

"So you're a novelty like me?" His eye brow raised slightly. A couple of girls in the back leaned forward, their eyes glazed over. I wanted to smack them on the head. Matt Sullivan wasn't _that _cute. Not compared to Seth who was unsuccessfully muffling several laughs. Jerk. He could help save me from this torture. I mean, he was supposed to be my knight in shining amour here. Apparently my misery was more entertaining to watch.

"No. I lived here nine years ago."

"This is _English _class, Tala," Sullivan said. "You've gotta have something more than that. Declaim for everyone."

"De what?" Hell no was I going to sing about my life if that's what he meant.

"You know, declaim." He shook his head at my ignorance. "You're right, history isn't really your thing. Take a seat, today we're going to talk about Shakespeare and his love of the theater."

And just like that, the spotlight of me vanished and another class of English III Honors commenced. He had sneakily referenced this morning while insulting my intelligence. It was so shocking, that I'm sure my gaping mouth was suffice evidence that he'd gotten me. Fully determined to hate his class, I plopped into an empty chair next to the amused Seth, arms crossed. But Mattie was just full of surprises today. For one, his class was actually _interesting_. He was animated to a point where I was almost as enthralled as the rest of the girls (but for different reasons of course). He genuinely seemed like a good teacher.

To say I was slightly miffed is an exaggeration. I was pissed. Why? Because I think I actually was _depressed _when class ended. It was unheard of. And to boot, Mattie was on my "respected" teachers list, a list that I didn't even know existed till now. He managed to save his ego while kicking mine. Life sucks.

The bell rang, and I picked up my backpack, swinging it around my shoulders. The rest of the class sluggishly responded, including Daisy whose face I think was permanently stuck in a drooling position. She was too busy eyeballing Mr. Sullivan to wonder why I was still at school. I kicked her seat a little to help her dilemma. It was right then when I noticed Nick wasn't there. _That's strange. _He was so gungho about watching my back this morning. Maybe Sam called him or something before lunch.

"Can't wait to see you at parent-teacher conferences," Sullivan told me on the way out, a smirk forming on his face. Seth squeezed my hand, probably stopping me from doing something extremely stupid.

"Same here," I said through clenched teeth, quickening my pace a little. Damn, I forgot about those things. My dad would go berserk if he knew what I did. At the high school, both parents _and _students were subjected to the heart-to-heart torture with the teacher. Seth informed me of his last one with Sue --- it was not pretty. His chemistry teacher had talked about every one of Seth's academic weaknesses, making him attend tutoring for the rest of his sophomore year. I was _so _not letting that happen to me. Dad wasn't going to find out. I just needed a plan...

"Bribe Leah into going," Seth said when I told him. He slung his arm over my shoulders as we walked down the hall. "She'd pretend be your guardian, easy. You just need to figure out what to buy her off with."

"Money?" He shook his head. "Clothes? Shoes?" Seth still continued to shake his head. "What then?" I threw up my hands in exasperation. "I don't know what she wants."

Seth smiled. "What does any one of us want?" By that, I was certain he was referencing the Pack.

"Erm...sleep?"

"Other than that."

"Food?" Food was what I wanted right now. Lunch was hardly enough to live off of. My stomach gurgled at the thought of a double sized cheeseburger and fries.

"Bingo." We stopped by his locker as he switched out a couple of books. I leaned against the wall and waited. I didn't cook --- Leah especially knew this. How could anyone forget my first breakfast I made in La Push? I groaned and knocked my hand against the hard metal. It hit with a loud _bang_. Seth's eyes widened when he took in the damage.

"Wha---that---how?" I could barely form sentences. The neighboring locker now had a huge metal dent in it in the shape of my hand. How's that for evidence? If the kid (or anyone for that matter) walked by right now, I was so done for.

"Super strength, remember?" He replied while inspecting it. "You walk too fast too. It's not your fault, it just takes some getting used to." Seth tried banging the locker, but it wouldn't open. "Do you know how to crack a locker combination? We sorta need to fix this before anyone checks this out."

I shrugged. I could _try _to open it. "Yeah, I think you put your ear up next to the lock or something to listen for the clicks." At least, that was the theory. It didn't work. We both tried it, and even our sensitive ears couldn't make any sense of what we were supposed to do. To make it worse, students kept trickling by us, and all we could do was cross our fingers and hope none of them were the locker's owner.

"We are so going to win," a deep male voice said from the doorway of one of the nearby classrooms. Hays strode up to us, smiling like he'd just won the gold metal in the Olympics. He hadn't changed much since before I turned were; he still wore the same grass-stained jersey and matching crew cut. Guess I was the only one who popped a few inches and werewolf superpowers. The soccer fanatic checked me out from head to toe, making Seth growl under his breath. I nudged my imprint to shut up. It was just Hays. The only things he was ever concerned about were soccer balls and beating the Makah team.

"Long time no see, Eskridge," my team captain greeted me. "What's up, Clearwater?" Seth was in no mood to respond. He was still set on thinking Hays was interested in me. I rolled my eyes. _Jeez, relax Seth. _Protective idiot.

"I was sick," I said in defense. I was in no mood for the chewing out Daisy warned me about at lunch.

"And the recovery must've been great considering you made a giant hole in someone's locker. With that kind of strength, we're gonna win, no contest."

"Umm, that wasn't me," was my feeble excuse of a lie. Hays shook his head and produced a paper clip from his pocket. He walked over to my masterpiece, and began to play with the lock. In no time at all, the door was open. My jaw swung open. He _had _to teach me how he did that.

"You're welcome," he told us cheerfully, placing the bent paper clip in my palm. "I won't tell if you won't." He quirked his head, motioning me to follow him. If he wasn't about to talk about the upcoming game, then I was a flying pig. Sighing, I re molded the locker door before trailing after him.

"Game's next Friday, are you gonna be ready?" He said, his tone serious. That's Hays for you. He's carefree about anything but his sports.

I bit my lip. I honestly didn't know if I was going to be allowed out so soon. Sam would probably forbid me from participating (even though he was the one who first encouraged me) in case I lost my temper. It wasn't a secret that I was a bit foul-mouthed on the field -– all in good humor of course. But when was I ever one to care about Sam's opinion? Least of all the preservation of anything? "Yeah totally."

"Good." And that was the end of that. Hays told me some times to be at practice, I threatened him about snitching on the locker, and we went our separate ways. Seth met up with me after a few minutes, let me know that he'd heard everything, then told me that he was taking me somewhere before work.

School wouldn't end fast enough.

* * *

"Hello, welcome to Moo Moo Dairy, are you ready to order?" My imprint had taken me to a nearby ice cream shop. I officially loved him, this sugary goodness was my heaven. I hugged Seth before knocking down the entrance door. The bored employee perked up before realizing I was going to be another one of _those _customers who stared with big eyes at all the ice cream flavors before making a long, decisive choice.

"Not yet," Seth reassured the poor bloke dressed in a black and white dotted apron. His shoulders fell as he glumly went back to staring at the closed till, probably wishing he could just grab the money and make a run for it.

"I was _so _hungry," I said, while perusing my options. Moo Moo Dairy was the most American creamery that ever could grace the US map. It had flavors from the Ben and Jerry Cherry Garcia to some random Maple Syrup blend. It was surprisingly well stocked for this area.

"I know, your stomach wouldn't stop growling," Seth joked. I threw him a look before turning my attention back on the task at hand.

"Do you think I can ask for a gallon?" I wondered out loud. I think I had like twenty bucks stuffed somewhere in my pocket for lunch money.

"Doubtful." Seth stared longingly at the Cookie Dough Galore, his mouth practically salivating. Since we were both inhuman, we could both smell the ice cream as well as see every particle of it tauting us. I couldn't decide if it was a good thing or bad thing.

I finally decided on a cone of Chocolate Chocolate Chip while he got three scoops of Cotton Candy Whirl.

"Are you together or separate?" The cashier curiously asked.

"Separate." "Together." Seth and I looked at each other, and tried it again vice-versa.

"Together." "Separate."

"I was talking about the ice cream," the guy nervously joked. "I'll ring you up as together." Our cheeks both flushed slightly as we realized he wasn't talking about our relationship.

"I thought we were boyfriend/girlfriend only at school," I whispered to Seth. He sighed and stole a lick of my ice cream. I growled and bit off a huge chunk of his in response.

The mortified cashier couldn't hand us over our change fast enough.

"You thought wrong," he replied as soon as we left the store. His cheeky grin grew wider and wider. I held my ice cream protectively, ready to ward off any sudden attacks. However, my imprint had other ideas. Seth closed the distance between us, swooping in until his lips were almost touching mine. My heart stopped beating. I stood there on the sidewalk, completely frozen like an idiot.

"Psych." And with that, he ate the rest of my ice cream in one Seth-sized chomp.

He was so dead.

* * *

**Sooo....did you like it? Hate it? This was more of a light, transitional chapter. The pair is advancing in their relationship slowly but surely. Double imprints are so complex -sigh- If you read the last chapter, you'll understand why some things happened in this like they did. Too much intensity/tension/etc to ignore. All mistakes are my own. Please review and tell me what you think :D **


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